With Tuesday's commissioner approval of a
county zoning map, Archuleta County has joined the ranks of most
Colorado counties and of countless counties across the nation -
Archuleta County is now a zoned county.

The decision to approve the map came with
little fanfare, and was made before an audience of about 25 people in
the board of county commissioners meeting room, the bulk of whom were
either Archuleta County or La Plata County staff - La Plata County
sent planning staff to observe the proceedings.

The approval marks the culmination of a
multifaceted, multi-year project begun in 2001 with adoption of the
Archuleta County Community Plan, and is the capstone event in a
comprehensive overhaul of the county's land use regulations.

By identifying nine specific zoning
districts, the map provides the framework from within which the
recently adopted land use code can operate - specifically, section
three regarding zoning regulations in the new county land use code
adopted May 23, 2006.

The nine zoning districts include:
agriculture forestry, agriculture ranching, agriculture estate, rural
residential, residential, mobile home park, commercial, industrial
and planned unit development. The uses allowed for each zone are
described in the new land use code.

During Tuesday's adoption hearing, much of
the discussion focused on mechanisms for achieving a re-zone of a
property from its present zoning status.

According to interim Director of County
Development David Alvord, the code provides ways to update and modify
the map, including a plan for regular revisions.

Aside from changes made during a scheduled
revision, Alvord said there are two additional methods to obtain a
zoning change. The first method would allow for a change, free of
charge, due to a county oversight.

"If there was an oversight on our part, I
think it's fair they don't pay anything," Alvord said.

Alvord and Senior Planner Jason Peasley
said, out of 17,000 parcels, about 100 did not mesh neatly with the
decision making process outlined in the Zoning Transition Program,
and therefore, county staff is willing to look at tax records and
other documentation that might provide clearer insight into those
properties' best zoning designation and would make a change if
necessary.

The second, Alvord described as a taxpayer
initiated re-zone. Under a taxpayer initiated re-zone request, the
property was zoned correctly - based on the assessor's data as of
Jan. 1, 2006 and adjacent land use - however, the taxpayer wants to
change to another zoning status from their present zoning status.

A taxpayer initiated re-zone request would
then be put before county planners and the planning commission, and
the board of county commissioner's would provide the ultimate
approval or denial. Fees apply for the taxpayer initiated
rezone.

Gerald Dahl, county attorney for the
project, said the land use regulations provide uniform standards for
re-zoning, and in fact, "the regs encourage the rezoning process,"
Dahl said.

And Dahl described updating the map as "a
constant process of refinement and change."

Approval of the color-coded map received a
unanimous commissioner vote, and largely positive responses from
those in attendance.

Speaking for Alpha residents, Beverly
Warburton said, "We like the result, we're the right color
green."

The draft map is displayed at the Archuleta
County Courthouse, at county planning offices and online at
archuletacounty.org. A final version is forthcoming.

HD drilling: problems and
public dollars

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

With the recently released final
environmental impact statement and the forthcoming record of decision
detailing plans for coal bed methane drilling in the HD mountains,
concerned citizens and an area environmental group opposed to the
project are gearing up to make their worries heard.

Bob Delzell, speaking as a private landowner
living in the HDs near the Fruitland Outcrop, and as a member of the
environmental group, the San Juan Citizens Alliance, voiced one of
the group's primary concerns.

"The final EIS (environmental impact
statement) has lots of problems. We don't favor drilling within a
mile and half of the outcrop," Delzell said.

However, despite thousands of comments
similar to Delzell's, including formal statements from Archuleta and
La Plata counties and the town councils of Bayfield, Ignacio and
Durango opposing the drilling of new wells within the proposed 1.5
mile outcrop buffer zone, the EIS' preferred alternative allows gas
companies to extract coal bed methane from wells drilled within the
buffer zone area.

According to Delzell, of the 85 wells
proposed for the Archuleta County portion of the project area, 48
wells lie within the "outcrop danger zone" - one on the edge of the
outcrop, 11 within half a mile of the outcrop, 10 within half to
three quarters of a mile of the outcrop, and 26 within three quarters
to one and a half miles of the outcrop.

Delzell said lessons learned from drilling
within the 1.5 mile buffer zone in La Plata County, including a
number of suspect, possibly methane caused fires, drawing down of the
water table, water well issues and methane seeps, should have taught
industry and government officials that drilling too close to the
outcrop is risky business.

"The important issue is to stay away from
the outcrop. I think its easiest to stay away from the outcrop for a
mile and half," Delzell said.

And Delzell added that distance may be the
best mitigation measure gas companies can use to avoid outcrop
impacts, such as those seen in La Plata County, from occurring in
Archuleta County.

Of a long list of concerns, Delzell said
drilling near the outcrop could deplete the water table, drying up or
contaminating residential water wells and springs and seeps used to
water livestock and pasture. In addition, Delzell said, the pressure
created by underground water plays a critical role in holding the
methane in place, and once water is removed during the drilling
process, methane is free to flow not only out the well head, but
could seep through cracks and fissures in the rock and possibly into
residential water supplies or other sensitive or hazardous areas. And
once the water is gone, Delzell said, it is possible for the coal to
warm. And, if the coal is exposed to sufficient amounts of oxygen, it
can reach a point where spontaneous combustion occurs, thus causing
an underground coalbed fire.

According to Delzell, EIS map 3.3 shows four
locations for such fires, and possibly a fifth fire at the La Plata
Mine, in the La Plata County portion of the project area near the New
Mexico state line. The map also identifies gas seep locations.

Speaking to the Archuleta County Board of
County Commissioners last year, Pagosa Fire Protection District Chief
Warren Grams said extinguishing an underground coalbed fire is an
expensive, and extremely difficult process. Furthermore, Grams said,
much of the Fruitland Outcrop area in Archuleta County lies in a fire
fighter's no-man's-land, lying beyond the reaches of both the Pagosa
Fire Protection District and the Upper Pine River Fire Protection
District.

In a July 18 presentation to the Archuleta
County Board of County Commissioners, EIS team leader Walt Brown,
said the EIS' preferred alternative acknowledges outcrop drilling
concerns and "requires geologic, hydrologic and gas reservoir
information from test wells in less sensitive areas before
development is considered in more sensitive areas within the 1.5 mile
Outcrop buffer zone."

In addition, Brown said the preferred
alternative "requires intensive monitoring to better characterize the
hydrogeology of the Fruitland Formation and to detect potential
impacts before they manifest at the Outcrop."

Brown said monitoring and mitigation
measures play key roles in the EIS' preferred alternative, but a
statement from the San Juan Citizens Alliance calls those measures
"vague, voluntary and unenforceable."

According to the group, the EIS outlines a
plan to monitor water wells and vegetation along the outcrop for
signs of methane seepage. If methane seepage is detected and there is
"reasonable evidence" that suggests a link between the drilling and
the methane seep, water well contamination, or impacts to vegetation,
the Forest Service can force operators to cease production.

Delzell calls this type of monitoring and
mitigation too little too late, and said once the impacts can be
observed or monitored, the damage to the environment, the water
table, and to human health and safety is already done.

According to Brown, of the 20,000
inventoried acres in the HD Mountains Roadless Area, roughly 8,000
have been identified as unsuitable for drilling or drilling
infrastructure based on current coal bed methane extraction
techniques. That leaves about 12,000 acres potentially open to
drilling with, under the preferred alternative, 72 miles of new roads
and 227 new wells - 100 on private land and 127 on federal land in
the roadless area. For the Archuleta County portion of the project
area, that means 140 new wells in undeveloped portions of the
county.

And while individuals such as Delzell and
groups such as the San Juan Citizens Alliance and the HD Mountains
Coalition harbor grave concerns over drilling near the outcrop and in
the HDs, with 140 new wells on the horizon, Archuleta County is
poised to reap tax benefits from unprecedented gas production,

According to Archuleta County Assessor Keren
Prior, the assessed value for oil and gas production on the 2005
Abstract of Assessment, totaled about$ 4.4 million. Oil and gas
personal property on the same abstract showed a total assessment of
$861,650.

With Prior's preliminary assessment figures
in for this year, assessed value for oil and gas production and
personal property have bounded exponentially.

According to Prior, the assessed value for
oil and gas production jumped to $8.6 million while oil and gas
personal property jumped to $2.3 million. Those assessments, once
finalized, will translate into tax dollars for Archuleta County - tax
dollars that can be used to fund numerous county projects including
county facilities, services and roads.

At recent meetings, Archuleta County
Administrator Bob Campbell and Finance Director Bob Burchett both
said gas production in the Archuleta County portion of the HDs
project area would be a boon for the county, and may provide one of
the keys for solving the county's long term road maintenance issues.

Prior said, "Oil and gas will subsidize all
of us," and she explained that every taxing entity, from the fire
district to the library and hospital district stand to benefit from
increases in oil and gas production.

But while many Archuleta County staff stand
ready to reap the benefits of coal bed methane production, Delzell,
the HD Mountains Coalition and the San Juan Citizens Alliance are
preparing to shed light on the fallout of drilling in the HD
Mountains Roadless Area and near the Fruitland Outcrop.

To that end, the coalition is hosting a
public information meeting and public comment forum 7 p.m. Aug. 28 at
Bayfield High School. Public comments made at the meeting will be
delivered to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management as the
agencies develop and draft their final Record of Decision for the
EIS.

For more information, contact Amber Clark or
Josh Joswick of the San Juan Citizens Alliance at 259-3583.

Library district to seek mill
levy increase

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

The Upper San Juan Library District has
delivered a ballot question to county and town officials, asking for
a 1.5 mill increase to its mill levy.

The increase would double the district's
mill levy, raising it from 1.5 to three mills.

Carole Howard, spokesperson for the mill
levy committee, said that the levy increase will only raise property
taxes about $22 per year, on an average home valued at $184,641
(determined by the county assessor, not the market).

If approved, there would be an annual total
of around $45 in property tax on the average home to fund the Upper
San Juan Library District.

The opening lines of the ballot question
read:

"Shall the Upper San Juan Library District's
taxes be increased by three hundred fifty-two thousand dollars
($352,000.00) (first fiscal year dollar increase) and by whatever
additional amounts are raised annually thereafter by an additional ad
valorem property tax levy of one and one half (1.5) mills ...
"

This is the first time that the library
district has asked for a mill levy increase, since it was originally
instituted.

"We've never asked the public for money
before ... We've built the building and that's all we can do," said
Barbara Draper of the library staff.

According to Draper, the current building
was constructed debt-free, and no taxpayer dollars were used for its
recent expansion.

If the mill levy increase is approved, the
library will look to improve its offerings, including programs and
collections.

The library is currently surveying the
public to see what services and book selections people would like to
see improved. The surveys will be collected until the end of
August.

The Upper San Juan Library District will
begin a campaign to promote the ballot issue after Labor Day.

Inside The
Sun

Training Advantage programs
available to Pagosans

SUCAP/The Training Advantage, a partner in the Southwest Workforce
Center, has programs available for adults and youth needing
assistance with job training and employment. Priority of service for
veterans meeting the eligibility criteria.

The Aug. 10 issue of The SUN reported the results of the Archuleta
County sheriff's primary were broadcast first over an Archuleta
County radio frequency, and prior to the county clerks's formal
announcement of the election results.

Discussions with Shana Young, dispatch supervisor, indicate that,
although the message was broadcast on radio waves travelling
county-wide, dispatch staff did not make the announcement.

Young asserts that the female voice, heard at approximately 9:45
p.m., was not one of the dispatch staffers on duty on primary
election night. Young said for a dispatcher to have announced
election results would have been extremely unprofessional.

To date, the identity of the unauthorized and unidentified radio
announcer remains unknown.

LPEA participates in energy
saving program

LPEA has joined the ENERGY STAR® Change a Light, Change the
World campaign, a growing community of corporations, utilities,
manufacturers, individuals, and countless others who have made a
commitment to change the world, one light - one energy-saving step -
at a time.

As part of this national movement, LPEA has volunteered to
encourage at least 100 individuals to pledge to replace at least one
incandescent bulb or fixture at home with one that has earned the
government's ENERGY STAR label - as a first step to preserve our
energy resources and environment. LPEA hopes to achieve this goal on
or before Oct. 4, 2006, National ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day. 100
pledges could save 28,200 kWh of energy and prevent 44,600 pounds of
greenhouse gas emissions.

To be part of LPEA's efforts, visit LPEA's website at
www.lpea.coop and follow the Change a Light, Change the World link.

"Like many organizations, we want to do our part to create a
better environment," said Greg Munro, LPEA chief executive officer.
"Participating in this national campaign is both easy and effective.
We are proud to spread the word about the simple steps individuals in
our community can take to make a difference."

LPEA will take an active role in encouraging individuals to make a
simple, yet meaningful commitment by taking the online ENERGY STAR
Change a Light Pledge. With lighting accounting for up to 20 percent
of the typical home's electricity use, switching to energy-efficient
options is a significant way to reduce greenhouse gases, save energy
and protect the environment for future generations.

"Committing to change the world takes less time and energy than
you might think. In fact, it can start with simply changing a light,"
said Wendy Reed of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Organizations like LPEA are an important part of the ENERGY STAR
Change a Light community, who have committed their time to help us
spread the word about the Change a Light Pledge. We are proud to work
with them and with the thousands of Americans who've already taken
the pledge to make a difference for this generation and those to
come."

The ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge is already having a dramatic
impact. Pledges taken to-date will result in the reduction of more
than 23 million kWh of energy and 33 million pounds of greenhouse gas
emissions.

The ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World campaign is a
national challenge sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, to encourage Americans to
consider the energy they use and to switch to light bulbs and
fixtures that have earned the government's ENERGY STAR for energy
efficiency.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce air
pollution through increased energy efficiency. Today, with assistance
from the U.S. Department of Energy, the ENERGY STAR program offers
businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy
and money, and help protect our environment for future generations.
More than 8,000 organizations have become ENERGY STAR partners and
are committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes
and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit
www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-782-7937.

New staff starts work at
Stevens Field

By Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

Faced with a number of pressing issues, three new Stevens Field
staff members have hit the ground running.

Of course, the entire Archuleta County airport work force consists
of just three people, with Gena DeWinter being the first among them
to settle into her position as administrative assistant. DeWinter
began work at the airport July 5, after transferring from the
Archuleta County Assessor's office, where she toiled for better than
three years. DeWinter replaces Jennifer Chavez, who now works in
county finance.

Airport Maintenance Specialist Chris Torres assumed his duties
earlier this month, after transferring from the county solid waste
department. He worked there for more than a year, before replacing
longtime Airport Maintenance Specialist Chris Scarpa. Scarpa also
transferred to another county department and now acts as building and
grounds supervisor.

George Barter took over as airport manager Aug. 7. He was chosen
from a list of 15 applicants to replace former manager Rob Russ, who
resigned in April. Barter retired from the Department of Justice at
the end of July, and took up permanent residence in his Pagosa
Springs home a few days later.

Barter has 25 years of aviation experience, with five years in
aviation management. He has directed all aspects of aviation projects
with budgets up to $9 million, including soliciting and reviewing
bids from vendors, and establishing and maintaining vendor relations
to ensure project completion. He is a pilot with licenses to fly both
fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and recently flew for the Justice
Department in multiple capacities.

In light of current growth and ongoing airport renovation
projects, staff now faces a series of challenges that entail
deadlines, construction concerns and some funding constraints.

By press time, DeWinter was working on state and Federal Aviation
Agency reimbursement requests for land acquisition costs related to
the proposed parallel taxiway, and Barter was "up to his ears" in
2007 budget matters. Barter said budget requests must be submitted to
county finance by Sept. 8, and as part of the process, he has asked
the Archuleta County Airport Advisory Commission (ACAAC) for project
requests and funding recommendations.

Among other things, the commission expressed a vehement desire to
address the current surface condition of the north ramp, or the area
where visiting aircraft owners park their planes. Apparently the
ramp's asphalt surface has deteriorated significantly and loose
gravel, which poses a serious safety threat to aircraft engines, has
resulted in certain pilots refusing to park there. Unfortunately, the
proposed fix is costly, at an estimated $55,000.

The commission also asked that priority be given to finding a new
permanent location for the self-service fuel farm. The farm is
supposed to make aviation fuel available to pilots after hours, but
its present location is neither safe nor feasible. Consequently, it
is currently inoperable and causes the county and Avjet, the fixed
base operator, significant revenue losses. Once a final site is
agreed upon, the estimated expense to move it is about $17,000.

The commission has also expressed concern with the airport's aging
maintenance equipment. Though weed mowing was underway by press time,
the airport tractor has reportedly broken down several times, even to
the point of borrowing one from another county department.

Ironically, that tractor also broke down and is now awaiting
repair. Meanwhile, the airport tractor has been repaired enough to
cut weeds for now, but its days are apparently numbered.

Another item on the ACAAC wish list involves the installation of
an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). Final FAA approval of a
proposed AWOS location is necessary before the equipment can be
assembled, but once the FAA gives the go-ahead, the system could be
in place by early October. According to commission officials, "its
costs have already been covered."

At an Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners meeting Aug.
15, the board approved the opening of approximately 12 acres of
airport property to ground leases for the eventual construction of
approximately 35 aircraft hangers. The acreage is located just south
of the new fixed base operations center (near mid-field), and already
contains eight hangers.

Roughly 30 aircraft owners have expressed interest in building
hangers at the site, and those eventually chosen will pay the county
$.38 per square foot for the ground. Owners will be responsible for
the cost of the structure and any amenities, and the county is
considering a cost reduction, in exchange for owner assistance in
adding utilities or other infrastructure. A newly crafted ground
lease document is now awaiting BoCC approval.

San Juan Historical Society
releases new book

By Shari Pierce

Special to The SUN

The San Juan Historical Society announces the release of Volume 11
of its popular "Remembrances" series of books.

The series is compiled by museum volunteers and is dedicated to
collecting and publishing the history of Pagosa Springs, Archuleta
County and the surrounding area.

Volume 11 is entitled "Federal Forest Reserves." It looks at the
history of The San Juan National Forest, which was created June 3,
1905, by proclamation of the President of the United States.

"Remembrances" series editor Glenn Raby writes, "The mission of
the federal forests has been to manage the natural resources and
human use and enjoyment of this unique and priceless heritage of the
American people, not for unaltered preservation, but for sustained
production of those things a forest gives us and that we all need:
wildlife, water, wood, natural beauty, history, home and future."

Volume 11 is a local collection of memories of the people who
managed, worked for and enjoyed our forest. It includes writings from
Florence Self's journal. Self was employed by the forest service to
man the Eight Mile Lookout tower. She spent many hours in the wooden
tower watching out for forest fires. Her writings are delightful.

This volume includes selected ranger reports from the 1930s and
1940s outlining projects completed under the forest service along
with bits of local history. There is also a scrapbook of
forest-related photographs.

As do previous volumes, "Remembrances Volume 11" ends with the
Founding Families section. This includes stories submitted by
families whose ancestors helped settle and form the town and county.
In this volume the Amyx and Bramwell families share their stories.
Also included in this section is a story about the heavy snows of
1931 and the rescue of men on the Wolf Creek Pass road maintenance
crew during that time.

Volumes in the "Remembrances" series are available at the San Juan
Historical Society Museum. Cost is $25 per volume with proceeds going
to maintain the museum and its collection of artifacts from area
history. The museum is located at 96 Pagosa Street.

The series is also available at Moonlight Books on Pagosa Street.

Monthly meetings

The San Juan Historical Society meets the first Thursday of each
month at 6 p.m. Meetings in the summer are held at the museum and in
the winter are held at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor's Center.
Please join the society and help ensure the future of the museum.

Membership

Regular admission charges for the museum are $3 for adults, and $1
for children 6-12. Children under age 6 are admitted at no charge.
Annual memberships are available at a fee of $15 for individuals, $25
for a family, $10 for a senior citizen, $50 for a contributor and
$125 for a business. Membership benefits include admission to the
museum for the season and a 10-percent discount on items purchased
there.

Walk through the past

The San Juan Historical Museum collects and displays artifacts
relating to the history of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County. Visit
the museum and enjoy a walk through Archuleta County's past.

Museum hours Tuesday through Saturday are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The
museum is located at the corner of Pagosa Street (U.S. 160) and 1st
Street, next to the bridge on the east side of town.

Blue Star Moms to hold auction

On Sept. 1, the Blue Star moms of Colorado will host an auction to
raise funds for a ceremony honoring the mothers and fathers of
Colorado service members killed while serving our country.

The auction, called by Calvin Story, will be held at the La Plata
County Fairgrounds . The event begins at 5 p.m. with entertainment
and wine tasting. The auction will start at 7 p.m.

Items for the auction have been donated from across the state and
include everything from a generator, furniture, jewelry and artwork,
to autographed items from the Broncos and the Avs. And, best of all,
lunch with two Bronco cheerleaders the following Saturday.

For more information, contact Janna at (970) 588-2266 or Linda at
(970) 385-5924.

Knights spaghetti dinner to
benefit families

A benefit spaghetti dinner for the families of Mike Maestas, Chase
Regester and Travis Stahr, hosted by the Knights of Columbus, will be
held 4-8 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Parish Hall at 451 Lewis St.

Admission to the dinner for adults is $8, for children 12 and
under $5.

All proceeds will be turned over to the three families to help
defray their costs for travel, lodging and medical expenses.

Woodruff announces for
assessor's race, sheriff tally official

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

Not all county posts will go uncontested in November's general
election.

Natalie Woodruff, Republican, announced her decision Tuesday to
run for county assessor as a write-in candidate, by filing her
paperwork with June Madrid, Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder.

Woodruff said she has considered running for the last two months
and formally notified the county clerk of her intent to run a week
before the deadline of Aug. 29.

The next two months will require an effective campaign since, as a
write-in candidate, Woodruff's name will not appear on the ballot.

Woodruff is currently on the town planning commission and works
for a local title company. She has been the chief title officer for
one year and was a title examiner for four years.

Woodruff also worked as deputy clerk in Archuleta County for four
years.

She has lived in the county for 10 years.

Aside from meeting the filing deadline, an eligible write-in
candidate must live in the county for at least one year. They must
also be a registered member of their party for at least one year
before running.

If elected, Woodruff says she will improve the functioning of the
assessor's office

Woodruff is challenging incumbent Keren Prior, also a Republican,
now in her eighth year as assessor.

Prior is a licensed real estate appraiser and is the chair of the
Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers. She also sits on the Sixth
Judicial District Nominating Commission, which nominates candidates
for the state supreme court.

Prior has lived in the county since 1994 and worked in real estate
since the 1970s.

Both candidates are now gearing up for a short campaign. Woodruff
must start by getting her name out.

With Woodruff's candidacy announcement, the assessor's race is now
contested. However, following release of official primary election
results from Madrid, the results of the recent sheriff's primary
election are not.

At final count, Pete Gonzalez maintained his win, garnering 10
more votes for a total count of 1,196. Bob Grandchamp, took in one
more vote for a total of 259, and Steve Wadley also took an
additional vote for a total of 611 votes.

County to lease airport area
property

By Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

Archuleta County owns a piece of property at the intersection of
Piedra Road and Condor Drive, and would like to lease it to an
airport-related business or operation that would enhance the airport.

The .9-acre parcel is pie-shaped and includes approximately 250
feet of frontage on Piedra Road. As part of an earlier land
acquisition, the county has no foreseeable use for it. A map and
legal description are available at the airport manager's office
(Nick's Hangar), 777 County Road 600, Pagosa Springs.

The county is asking for bids to lease the property, which should
include an offer of compensation to the county, the intended land
use, length of desired lease and other information that would aid the
county in evaluating lease offers.

All sealed bids must be delivered to Archuleta County, attention
airport manager, 449 San Juan Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 811747. Bids
must be in by 5 p.m. tomorrow.

District to hold groundbreaking
ceremony for new hospital

By Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

And, so it begins.

The Upper San Juan Health Service District Board of Directors and
the Dr. Mary Fisher Medical Foundation Board are planning a special
groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of constructing a new
Critical Access Hospital in Pagosa Springs. The public is cordially
invited, with festivities beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5.

The event will take place at the Dr. Mary Fisher Medical Center at
95 South Pagosa Blvd. Refreshments will be served, and architectural
drawings of the planned facility will be on display.

In a special election last May, voters overwhelmingly approved a
measure allowing the USJHSD to increase debt by $12 million to build
the hospital. Since then, the district board has worked feverishly to
raise private donations and finalize financing arrangements.

Design and construction details have changed periodically, as
estimated costs have increased, but construction will now begin soon
after the groundbreaking.

Board members believe the entire project will take approximately
14 months to build, with the hospital opening its doors for business
by late 2007.

Business owners complete
Leading Edge course

By Bart Mitchell

Special to The SUN

Local business owners who successfully completed their Leading
Edge business plans celebrated Aug. 11 at the Pagosa Springs
Community Center.

The Leading Edge Entrepreneurial course is a 12-week course that
teaches business owners how to write a solid business plan. Four
people in the most recent class completed their business plans.

During the celebration, Mark Horn of the Bank of Colorado, and
Mike Bonnell with Wells Fargo Bank, awarded the first-, second- and
third-place business plan competition winners. First place went to
Penelope Stowell who received $500 for her plan on Writing for
Children.

Each of the business owners who completed a business plan received
a wooden plaque with their name inscribed, showing successful
completion of the class.

For those students who completed nine of 12 classes but did not
finish their business plans as of the date of the celebration,
certificates were awarded for participation in the class.

The Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA) would like
to extend a special thanks to the following people; without them the
Leading Edge class would not have been possible:

- Local banks that sponsored the class, and donated the funds for
the business plan competition: Bank of the San Juans, Bank of
Colorado, Citizens Bank, First Southwest Bank and Wells Fargo.

- Ed Morlan with Region 9 Economic Development District, who
graciously offered a scholarship for one of the students.

- Joe Keck of the Fort Lewis College Small Business Development
Center, for his mentoring and instruction.

Anyone wanting to register for the next Leading Edge
Entrepreneurial course can do so by calling AEDA at 264-4722 or
download an application at: www.archuletaeconomicdevelopment.org. The
12-week course costs $280 or $395 for those wanting three hours of
college credit. Classes will begin in the fall.

The AEDA is also looking for instructors to help teach the Leading
Edge class. Instructors must have business ownership experience, and
must provide a resume to qualify. Qualified applicants should call
the AEDA at 264-4722 to apply.

Supply donations still needed
as new school year nears

Perhaps the return to school, school clothing and supplies are not
on your mind.

These things are, however, are on the minds of many parents and
students in Archuleta County as the return to school grows near.

For many lower income families, providing school supplies may
stretch the family budget already made tighter by rising energy
costs.

Operation Helping Hand, a group of dedicated citizens, has been
assisting those in need for more than 15 years now. The organization
is currently collecting donations of school supplies for area
children.

You can help OHH make someone's first day of school (and in fact
the entire school year) a brighter one by contributing some supplies.

In 2005, 95 students in grades K through 12 were assisted through
this program.

Organizers report that donations are low this year and many more
are needed to meet the need of our community's students.

Those who wish to make monetary donations to the drive may send
them to Operation Helping Hand, Wells Fargo Bank, account number
6240417424, or Bank of the San Juans, account number 20014379.
Monetary donations are used to purchase school supplies and clothing
vouchers to be distributed to those identified as needing assistance
at this time of the year.

Below is a list of items being collected by Operation Helping
Hand. It was compiled using supply lists provided by local schools.
You can drop off your donations at The Pagosa Springs SUN located on
Pagosa Street. Please consider the excitement and happiness you could
bring to a child on the first day of school.

Backpacks

No. 2 pencils

8-count crayons

16-count crayons

24-count crayons

4 oz. bottles of glue

Small pointed scissors

12-count colored pencils

24-count colored pencils

Family-size box of Kleenex

Gallon-size zip lock bags

Quart-size zip lock bags

Supply box

Fiskars scissors

8-count markers

Large pink erasers

One-inch hard cover 3-ring binder

Pencil top erasers

Glue sticks

Loose leaf wide rule notebook paper

Loose leaf college rule notebook paper

Scientific calculator

Pencil pouch

Pens

7-subject dividers

Spiral notebooks

White out

Ruler with standard and metric scale

Erasable pens

Index cards

8-count classic, watercolor markers

Pocket portfolios, pockets on bottom

Red lead pencils

40-page spiral notebooks

Thin-tipped markers

Clipboard

Four dry erase markers

Basic calculator

Pad lock or combination lock

No. 3 pencils

Small pencil sharpener with shavings holder

Wide rule composition notebooks

Elmer's glue

Paper towels

Large scissors

Clear ruler with standard and metric scale

Medium size pencil box

Graph spiral notebooks

Pocket folders with brads

Small dixie cups

Small, rounded scissors

Outdoors

Land Trust presents program to
celebrate 25th year

By Nancy Cole

Special to The SUN

The Southwest Land Alliance is presenting a day-long series Oct. 6
called "Saving the Ranch," to celebrate its 25th year in operation
and the important acreage being conserved in this area.

This program at the Pagosa Springs Community Center will provide
information about the whys and hows of conservation easements today
with guest speakers from around the region. It is open to anyone
interested in land issues, taxes, estate planning or conservation.
For information contact the Southwest Land Alliance office (261-7779)
or one of its board members noted below.

Twenty-five years ago, in late 1981, a group of dedicated local
people wishing to promote conservation of the beautiful land in
southwestern Colorado, created a nonprofit organization to encourage
and protect conservation easements. The initial board of directors of
the nonprofit organization, listed in a January 1982 issue of The
Pagosa Springs SUN, were identified as Betty Feazel, Dr. Allan Handy,
Jock Jacober, Carl Macht, Genelle Macht, Joe Moore and Vicki Ray.

The local land trust was renamed the Southwest Land Alliance in
1987 and again a number of familiar local persons signed the new
incorporation document that included the name change - Herbert
Brodsky, Bruce Bailey, Gordon Jacober, Genelle Macht and Joseph
Moore.

These farsighted people and local ranchers who availed themselves
of conservation easements as a way to preserve their land for their
heirs, and to benefit the larger community, created a public land
trust that today protects over 13,000 acres of productive ranches and
beautiful forests in Archuleta and surrounding counties.

A conservation easement is an easement on land for the purpose of
protecting its important characteristics. The landowner continues to
own the land, but the use of the land is restricted to activities
that do not impair the so-called "conservation values" that the
landowner specifies in the conservation easement. A public, nonprofit
agency, usually a public land trust, holds the easement and is
responsible for protecting its conservation values in perpetuity.

The use of conservation easements is encouraged as a matter of
public policy by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and many states.
The IRS treats the value given up by putting land in a conservation
easement as a charitable gift deductible from state and federal
taxes. The value of this gift is the difference in the value of the
land without the easement restrictions (available for development)
and the value with the restrictions.

Originally, the federal tax advantage was the primary financial
benefit to the landowner for putting land in a conservation easement.
In the last several years a number of states, Colorado among them,
recognized that many landowners are depending on their land to
produce funds for retirement or for their heirs. Thus, they need
greater financial compensation and incentive for donating the
development rights on their land.

Recognizing this need and the value of productive open land to its
citizens, Colorado initiated a tax credit system extending the
federal "gift" idea to Colorado taxes. However, the greatest benefits
to landowners have come more recently with the extension of the state
income tax credit system to make it possible to sell one's tax
credits on the open market to people who have sufficient income to
need the tax credits. This means that ranchers can actually receive
cash for their tax credits on a conservation easement today.

The Southwest Land Alliance grew gradually in its first decades as
an almost totally volunteer effort of concerned local citizens.
However, as the legal complexities and numbers of conservation
easements have grown, the need for professional staff has increased.
From a half-time professional (Linda Newberry) in the recent past,
staff increased to a full-time executive director, Michael Whiting,
in 2005 and now a second full-time professional, Karin Freeman, in
2006.

The organization continues to operate under a voluntary local
board including Jan Brookshier, Bob Bruchett, Nancy Cole, Alan
Farrow, Penny Holmes, Ralph Holsworth, Bill Nobles, Dennis Schutz and
Mark Weiler. The primary function of the organization continues to be
holding conservation easements and protecting them in perpetuity. The
costs of the activities of monitoring easements annually and taking
action required to protect their conservation values is funded
primarily by endowments to the SLA contributed by the landowners
themselves and by citizens supporting conservation in the community.

The "Saving the Ranch" program is being funded by local sponsors
and all of the special guest speakers have volunteered their time.

Conservation district offers
seed program

The San Juan Conservation District is offering local landowners
the opportunity to purchase a variety of seed mixtures for different
conservation uses such as erosion control, weed suppression and
grazing land improvement.

The mixtures have been specially developed to provide a ground
cover that requires minimal watering and include a native grass
mixture, dryland pasture mix, native wildflower mix and a new mix
called "wildlife mix."

Mixes are ideal for establishing vegetation around newly
constructed homes or to improve pasture condition. Erosion control
blankets are also available.

The district will accept orders until Sept. 15 and the seed will
be available for pickup Oct. 3.

For more information, or to obtain an order form, contact the San
Juan Conservation District at 731-3615, or visit the office at 505A
CR 600 (Piedra Road). The office is located next to Piedra
Automotive.

Region 9 completes survey of
second home owners

The Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado
has completed their survey of second homeowners in Archuleta, La
Plata, Dolores, San Juan and Montezuma counties.

To encourage participation in the survey, Region 9 offered $600 in
cash prizes. The winners are Tim and Lydia Ortiz of Pagosa Springs,
$300; Marla C. Underall, $200; and Carla Vaivoda of Archuleta County,
$100.

The survey portion is Phase Two of Region 9's Social and Economic
Impact of 2nd Homes Study. This survey portion sought information
about why second homeowners decide to buy property in our region, and
look at their future plans in our area.

Phase One of the study compiled property information for each of
the five counties and compiled information about the property
locations, age, size and improvements made by second homeowners.
Second homeowners were defined as persons with mailing addresses
outside the county where they own property.

The final piece of the puzzle is to determine how second homes
affect population growth, local job and housing markets, and their
impacts on infrastructure such as transportation corridors and
community services. Results of this Phase III will be available later
in the fall.

The research of both completed phases of the study are available
at Region 9's Web site, www.scan.org. Feedback is welcome.

Variety of programs available
to local dog and cat owners

By Sarah O. Smith

Staff Writer

For many, dogs and cats offer incomparable friendship and comfort.
To return the favor, it is important for all pet owners to ensure the
health and well-being of their pets, no matter what the expense.

However, when faced with the daunting veterinarian bills that new
pets often bring, many pet owners don't know where to begin.

Luckily, Pagosa is home to a number of options for dog and cat
owners to lower their costs on the basic, yet vital medical care
their pets require, such as spay and neuter operations and yearly
vaccinations.

Robbie Schwartz, director of the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs,
said spaying or neutering your pet is an integral step in lowering
the number of homeless dogs and cats. The Humane society began their
pet overpopulation program in 1995, and since 2001 the number of
homeless pets has reduced eight percent.

The pet overpopulation program includes a number of ways to make
sure your pet receives this important operation. Based upon your
income, you may qualify for the Fix-It-Free program, in which the
Humane Society gives out free spay or neuter vouchers which can be
used at local veterinarians.

"The local vets are very supportive of the program. They work with
(the pet owners)," said Schwartz.

The vouchers are given out on the first day of the month on a
first-come, first-served basis. To qualify, household income may not
exceed $16,000 for a single person, $18,000 for two people, $20,000
for three people, $26,000 for four people, $28,000 for five people,
and $30,000 for six or more people. You must show proof of your
income, and the Humane Society accepts income tax returns, food stamp
cards, or a letter from Social Services.

Also, anyone who owns a purebred Staffordshire bull terrier (Pit
Bull) or a Staffordshire bull terrier mix will qualify for a
Fix-It-Free voucher regardless of income.

The Humane Society also offers Spay Aid, which has no income
restrictions. With Spay Aid, the Humane Society will pay half of the
bill to have your pet spayed or neutered. Again, a limited number of
vouchers are given out on the first of each month.

Other free programs are also offered for feral cats, and also dogs
or cats who have recently had a litter. Also, for any dog or cat
adopted from the Humane Society, the surgery and vaccinations are
included in the price of adopting - $65 for dogs and $22.50 for cats.
Since bills for spaying or neutering alone can run anywhere from $100
to $300, this bargain price is just another impetus to give a shelter
dog or cat a loving home.

All in all, Schwartz said the Humane Society spends about $30,000
per year on sterilization surgeries. And it's well worth it; she said
in cities such as Farmington where no spay and neuter discounts or
requirements are offered for the public, at least 1,000 animals are
euthanized per month during the summer, most of them young puppies
and kittens.

"The answer to the problem with pet population is not
euthanization," said Schwartz. "It's to stop the problem before it
begins."

Schwartz said last year the Humane Society took in 446 strays and
owner-surrendered animals. This year that number fell to 407, proof
that the pet overpopulation program is working.

"So the numbers are still dropping," she said.

Once a pet has been spayed or neutered, owners can rest assured
they've done their part to lower the number of homeless animals.
However, medical care doesn't stop there; dogs and cats require
yearly trips to the vet for vaccinations against diseases such as
rabies, distemper, parvo, leptospirosis, and feline leukemia. Add in
overall wellness exams and medications for heartworm and other common
ailments, and pet owners may again be facing expensive bills.

But once again, the Humane Society works in conjunction with local
vets to keep those costs down. During the Humane Society's biannual
Adopt-a-Thon, local vets take turns offering discounted vaccination
clinics, where shots run just $11 a pop.

Once they have an established relationship with their veterinarian
and are confident in their pet's health status, some pet owners
decide to take basic health care into their own hands. Many feed
stores or equine suppliers sell package vaccinations for dogs and
cats. The seven-way dog shot usually runs anywhere from $4 to $6. The
five-way cat shot is generally more expensive since it contains the
feline leukemia vaccination, and can cost up to $12. However, none of
these shots include the extremely vital rabies vaccination, since
Colorado law requires that all rabies shots be administered by a
veterinarian.

Everyone knows that owning a pet isn't all fun. New pets can mean
hard work and, oftentimes, big bills. However, with the number of
options offered in Pagosa to reduce costs, the excitement and joy
that new pets bring don't have to be deflated by a hefty bill.

High Country Reflections

Cutthroats amid the forest
gloom

By Chuck McGuire

SUN Columnist

Even as I finished the last of my morning errands, towering
cumulonimbus building over the north range were also backing steadily
toward town. Within minutes, as I pulled into a filling station for
fuel, the sky above grew dark and foreboding. Sharp chilly gusts
tousled the aspens and ponderosas in nearby yards, and loud low-based
thunder rumbled repeatedly across the valley.

At once, as the cloudburst finally opened, accompanied by an
intense volley of pea-sized hail, I feared my plan for an afternoon
of fishing was rapidly fading.

Earlier, I'd packed a light lunch and a small cooler of cold
beverages. My hat, fishing pack and waders were already in the Jeep,
and upon leaving the house, I'd grabbed a four-weight Leonard and
suitable raised-pillar reel for what I hoped would be a quiet
interlude of classic dry-fly fishing for native cutthroat trout.

Over the years, as my outlook on flyfishing gradually evolved,
various tactics held singular appeal. In the beginning, I simply
wanted to catch trout with a flyrod and fly. After awhile, I focused
on fooling them with conventional dry flies, and for a time, I fished
only custom flies of my own creation.

At first, I favored short fiberglass rods. Soon after, longer
lighter ones of graphite composite seemed state-of-the-art. Today,
I'm partial to tried-and-true split bamboo rods designed by the early
masters, including the Leonard.

As a result, I am now most content with taking fish on standard
dry flies, particularly when the rod is bamboo, the flies imitate
true adult aquatic insects, and the fish are colorful little natives
whose local bloodlines date back to the end of the ice age.

I pulled out of the gas station and headed toward a primitive
forest road leading into the high-country. Strong gusty winds brought
sheets of driving rain against my windshield, but the hail had
tapered off some, and I could faintly see a bright spot with a slight
hint of blue in the sky to the north.

With an hour-long drive ahead, before reaching the small tributary
where I planned to fish, I thought to travel at least that far, then
further assess weather conditions. After all, in a worst-case
scenario, I could always sit in the Jeep and enjoy a leisurely lunch,
while watching what could very well be a continuing round of robust
thunderstorms.

After just a few miles, however, the rain lessened to a light
sprinkle. The dark clouds that only moments before were an ominous
gun barrel blue, brightened considerably with occasional brief
appearances by the sun. A few miles more, as I turned from pavement
onto gravel, the surrounding landscape quickly dried under the warmth
of increasing sunshine.

At some point, about where the road narrows to a single lane, it
penetrates dense old-growth forests of aspen, ponderosa pine and
white fir. Like most high-elevation roads, it roughly parallels a
cascading mountain stream, as it gradually climbs toward designated
wilderness and thick stands of Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce and
Colorado blue spruce. Even aspens in the lower reaches are huge, as
they stretch ever upward in the shadows of soaring volcanic cliffs on
either side of the creek.

Wildlife abounds and the further I go, the slower I drive. Every
trip in, it seems, I see a number of mule deer, often including a
nice buck or two. Elk cows and calves are not uncommon, and though
sightings are rare, big bulls, black bears and mountain lions are
certainly in the area from time to time.

Skunks, porcupines, coyotes and foxes have crossed my path on more
than a few occasions and, while I've never actually seen one here, I
have discovered recent bobcat tracks on a few local game trails
between road's end and the river.

Today, for that matter, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to hope
for a glimpse of a Canada lynx, since more than 200 now run wild here
in the San Juan Mountains.

Needless to say, a wide variety of birds grace the woodlands, with
the most audible among them being the mountain and black-capped
chickadees, steller's jays, gray jays, robins, ravens and water
ouzels. Blue grouse and wild turkeys appear fairly tolerant whenever
I've encountered them on the road or in the woods, and the rare view
of a silent and often stationary great horned owl is always
exhilarating. In the sky above, turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks
are frequent companions, while a small variety of falcons and the
majestic golden eagle do appear, now and then.

This is Colorado wild country. Naturally, signs of sporadic human
activity are obvious, but in all my trips into this glorious land,
I've seldom seen more than a car camper or two, and once I've set
foot on the primordial trail, I've never encountered another soul.

With that in mind, and still cloudy, though less threatening
weather at hand, the urge to fish swelled within me that day, as I
approached the tree-covered parking and pathway beyond.

In light of the earlier storm, I wasn't surprised to find the
place deserted upon my arrival. There were no cars or campers, no
hikers or other fisherman, and at once, as I climbed from the Jeep
and quietly prepared equipment, a surreal sense of seclusion came
over me.

With hat and waders on, pack in place and rod in hand, I hiked
what amounted to a glorified game trail for at least 30 minutes,
before turning toward the clear drone of a tumbling creek ahead. I
wanted to work a stretch beyond the limits of earlier excursions - to
see new territory and fish new pools.

As I walked, the deep woods grew dim with the passage of more
clouds, and the sheer volcanic cliffs closed in on either side. The
air was cool and heavy with moisture. The tranquil silence of the
great forest broke only with a muted chickadee-dee-dee echoing among
the trees.

Once streamside, I strung up the Leonard, checked leader and
tippet and tied on a small elk-hair caddis with blonde hair and a
yellow silk body. I hoped it would be a fitting imitation of the
small golden stoneflies fluttering about over the crystalline riffles
and pools where four species of trout reside. As I made my first
cast, thunder rumbled over nearby peaks and rolled through the valley
around me.

In spite of the thunder, occasional blustery winds and
intermittent cloud cover, the rain held off that afternoon, as I
casually fished upstream. In a matter of 30 minutes or so, I'd landed
two brightly-colored Colorado River cutthroats and one plump 12-inch
brook trout.

The canyon, meanwhile, seemed ancient and mysterious, as long
sage-green tufts of Spanish moss dangled from the lower branches of
nearby spruce and fir. With the movement of high cumulous, giant
shadows crept slowly across lofty metamorphic stone faces, and sound
variations in the river's flow seemed to mimic young voices speaking
in barely audible tones. I felt completely alone, but not altogether
lonely.

After releasing the brookie, I leaned the rod against a
low-hanging branch, where its clear varnish and light blonde color
sparkled in the recurring summer sun. I climbed atop a large
midstream boulder, peeled my pack and sat down for a snack.

I nibbled on sharp cheddar and crackers, mixed nuts and a granola
bar, as the river steadily rushed by me. Its gentle notes might have
lured me to sleep, were it not for the infrequent thunder that still
pealed from distant lightning strikes.

With a liberal swig of water, I quietly wished for something sweet
to top off my meal, when a small, bright red object suddenly caught
my eye in the foliage near my rod. Upon closer examination, it was
one of many ripe raspberries, which led to a minor frenzy that left
me feeling full.

In time, I worked a long stretch of heretofore unfamiliar water
and managed another half-dozen brilliant multicolored trout. All but
one were crimson-sided cutthroats of eight to 10 inches, and the
other was a slightly larger buttery-bellied brown. Each rose heartily
to the elk hair, and all were still swimming at the end of the day.

While the weather held and the fishing was fabulous, the discovery
of a huge inconspicuous waterfall was certainly a highlight. I
couldn't physically reach it without fording deep pools, but there it
was, through the trees, up a side canyon a hundred yards from the far
side of the river. I guessed its height at about 50 feet, but its
very presence beckoned closer examination at a future date.

As the sun dipped below the western rim, the forest darkened
further and I turned for the Jeep. When fishing alone in such wild
places, the walk out is always a bit spooky, but no particular signs
gave pause that evening. There were no fresh bear or cat tracks in
the mud along the creek, and no eerie sounds sparked my sometimes
wild imagination. Only the chickadees and robins spoke softly to one
another, as golden sunlight still reflected off the far canyon wall.

Nevertheless I quickened my pace.

Letters

Marathoner

Dear Editor:

I am a runner training for my first marathon. My long runs are on
U.S. 160 heading east toward Wolf Creek Pass. Thank you to all the
drivers, especially the truck drivers, who go out of their way to
move to the center of the road as I am running. It is very much
appreciated. If you can, come join me on a Saturday morning. If not,
just honk and wave.

Marcia Bledsoe

Bush's legacy

Dear Editor:

Positive legislation ... after his only veto, research on stem
cells, the all-purpose building blocks that eventually turn into
specific tissue/bone, has moved with some of our leading scientists
to Singapore. Guess those fertilized embryos that were saved by the
veto will say thanks just before they are thrown out.

Spreading democracy Š Iraq has now been defined by the Pentagon as
a civil war, so much for being greeted with roses. Or the war on
terror: Hezbollah is now leading Osama as the most admired
group/person in the Muslim world and Israel well expects the next
battle. Good move on the delayed response.

Remember the war on drugs? After nearly $5 billion over five
years, the supply of cocaine is at it's peak with lower street
pricing than in 2000.

Environment Š unfortunately you just have to ask or read the
periodicals of any national game or fish group to get the most
negative view. Want a worse picture, ask any conservationist group
about the devastation since George took office. Why is everybody
unhappy but the resource companies buying national forests?

Oh well, then there was always the incredibly misrepresented
advice on Social Security. Or the wholesale abandonment of their
government jobs for the pharmaceutical industry by those most
responsible for drafting the prescription drug law. Ahhh, that's just
more "K Street" stuff, we really don't care about George's cohorts'
graft and corruption. Remember Helen Thomas' first press room
question? "Right-on-the-money."

Well what did he do right? Not FEMA, remember Katrina. Give up on
positives? Me too!

Dave Blake

County roads

Dear Editor:

In the past, I have addressed my concerns on how bad the Road and
Bridge Department of Archuleta County is being run. We are back to
hearing from the county road supervisor of the long-range plan for
road improvement.

At the rate the county is spending money now, they will never be
able to maintain the roads throughout the county like in the past.
There are serious problems confronting county residents. The county
has advised us of vacating certain county-built bridges, one being
our Carracas bridge, which the road superintendent said to me he
wanted to blow up. You know, Mr. Zumwalt, 80 percent of our ranch is
south of the river. In case of a forest fire south of the river, we
will come looking for you and the county brass. You and the engineers
and commissioners better rethink your plans for vacating bridges.

Why doesn't the county have money for snow removal? Here's why:
From April through July 2006, the county has spent approximately
$400,000 for gravel, $84,737 for contract hauling, plus all the
county employees and county equipment. So we're probably looking at
over half a million dollars for gravel and haul.

Now we heard the road boss say at the meeting a couple of weeks
ago that he needed four more operators. My God, he has a 25 man crew
- four in engineering, 19 in maintenance, seven fleet and five
seasonal. From the '50s to 1990, Archuleta County had four men in
maintenance, 14 operators, and one road boss, and every square foot
of county road was graveled with little tandem trucks and worn-out
motor graders. Now look at the fleet of new equipment.

County commissioners are being misled by their department heads.
For instance, I was told that gravel pits used by the county in the
past were no longer meeting road specs. What a joke! Compare roads
graveled 20-25 years ago with roads being graveled today, half gravel
and half dirt. You know road binder is in the road, just add gravel.
Mr. Zumwalt, I will have you know the gravel along the lower San Juan
river has made county road specs many times, made state highway
specs, made specs for Archuleta County airport. Are your specs or
your engineers' specs tougher than the federal aviation specs?

Somebody please help straighten out this county mess. Hauling
gravel 60 miles round trip is nonsense. The best materials are on the
San Juan from Wolf Creek to Navajo.

Pagosa Lakes, don't fall for improvement districts, or metro, or
PID. The money is there. I know. In my 12 years as county
commissioner, everybody got plowed out and not with pickups or SUVs.

In comparison, La Plata County has a $250,000 road and bridge
budget.

Sincerely,

Chris L. Chavez

Rodeo woes

Dear Editor:

On Friday, July 29, my partner and I went with friends to the
annual Fiesta Days rodeo at the La Plata County Fairgrounds here in
Durango. After introductory comments, the rodeo got underway with a
prayer, asking that no humans or animals be harmed during the course
of the evening.

The first event was wild horse riding. Two teams of three big men
stood in the arena. Two bucking chute gates opened and out sprang two
horses, haltered with long lead lines attached. We were immediately
shocked by the size of the horses. They were really not horses at all
but rather colts. They looked to be no older than two but may
possibly have been only yearlings. They were rangy, thin and
terrified.

Given the size of the horses, the men were able to simply
overpower them. The colt closest to us ended up with its neck arced,
nose buried in the dirt between its forelegs while it braced with all
four feet but could do nothing, locked in that position by the rope,
while a saddle was cinched on it and a big man threw himself aboard.
The colt, head then released, was hazed across the arena to the
"finish line."

We sat there in disbelief and acute discomfort. This was no
measure of skill or horsemanship, even in a context of the old ways
in which horses were broken to saddle. Most people agree that those
ways are far inferior to the newer training methods which are based
on mutual respect and fair play between human and horse. It was
simply a demonstration of brute dominance and force, and it was awful
to watch.

We wondered about the lives of those colts when they are not
"performing" once or twice a day. We were concerned about how small,
dull-coated and thin they were. The other rodeo stock looked very
well cared for. The horses and cattle were in good weight and had
shiny coats. It occurred to us then that the usefulness of these
colts in a "wild" horse act would be quite limited. They'd simply
give up soon, broken critters, and would no longer put on the desired
show. Their tenure with this rodeo would be short; they were
"throwaway" items, probably bought cheaply. There'd be no need to
invest much care in them. If they're malnourished, they're 1) easier
to beat down in the event, which obviously can't drag on for an
extended time- the cowboys must prevail before the audience gets
bored, and 2) the rodeo stock company saves on feed, worming, vet
care, etc., knowing that they won't own these colts long anyway.

What happens to the colts after their short stints as rodeo
"stars"? Speculations include the following: They've got a bad
history with people which has created a lot of fear and huge trust
issues. Hence, they're not suitable post rodeo for anyone but the
most experienced sort of horse folks. They've been made essentially
rescue projects for some good souls or projects for folks in
institutions perhaps. Most likely I suspect that they end their days
in crowded pens of other terrified, abused and abandoned horses
waiting for slaughter at a meat packing plant somewhere. How bitterly
ironic that introductory prayer was, at least as far as the little
"wild" horses were concerned. I'll certainly never again attend a
rodeo at which there is a "wild horse" event like this one without
speaking directly to rodeo stock people and to local animal abuse
agencies about the abuse visited upon those animals.

Ana Hale

Durango

Heat is On!

Dear Editor:

From Aug. 18 through Labor Day (Sept. 4), law enforcement agencies
across Colorado will be out in increased numbers to find and arrest
impaired drivers. This effort, called "Over the limit. Under Arrest,"
is part of the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) The
Heat Is On! campaign and refers to the fact that anyone caught
driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher
will be arrested. Colorado is participating in this national
crackdown on people who drive under the influence of alcohol or
drugs.

The goal of The Heat Is On! campaign is to reduce the numbers of
injuries and deaths caused by drunk drivers. CDOT and our law
enforcement partners seek to accomplish this goal by discouraging
drunk driving through increased public awareness and aggressive DUI
enforcement.

Drunk driving is one of America's deadliest crimes. In fact,
during 2004, nearly 13,000 people were killed in highway crashes
involving an impaired driver. And an astounding forty-one percent of
the 1,672 motorcycle operators who died in single-vehicle crashes in
2004 had BAC levels of .08 or higher.

In addition to arrest, impaired drivers often face jail time, loss
of their driver's licenses, higher insurance rates, attorney fees,
time away from work and other expenses. In Colorado, a driver
convicted of DUI could end up spending a total of $10,000 or more.

It is my sincere hope that drivers across Colorado will support
The Heat Is On! by cooperating with law enforcement at DUI
checkpoints and by always using designated drivers.

There are no valid reasons or excuses why anyone should needlessly
endanger their life and the lives of everyone else on the road. Don't
take the chance. You will get caught. The Heat Is On! in Colorado,
and those who choose to drive while over the limit are very likely to
find themselves under arrest.

Tom Norton

Executive Director

Colorado Department of Transportation

'Proposed' levy

Dear Editor:

In reading over the "proposed" mill levy increase for maintenance
of, and snow removal from secondary roads, it appears to me that the
county administrator and the county commissioners have let the public
outcry (at least the public living on secondary roads) taint their
judgment. Why should it be incumbent upon the town residents and the
residents of the metropolitan districts within the county to fund
maintenance and snow removal on county secondary roads? We, the
residents of the Aspen Springs Subdivision, have for the past 20
years or so funded our own road maintenance and snow removal;
currently to the tune of a 10.4 mill levy in addition to the county
mill levy.

A more equitable proposal would be to ask for a mill levy increase
on all properties not within the city limits or the boundaries of the
special districts that already pay an additional mill levy for roads
and streets.

The article further states that Mr. Zumwalt has amazingly decided
that the county can do those secondary roads this year (see what
public outcry can do). I suggest that if Mr. Zumwalt, the county
administrator and the commissioners can find the money for this year
then they should be able to find the money for next year and future
years without an increased mill levy.

It is true, bureaucrats breed taxation which in turn breeds more
taxation. The solution: remove the bureaucrats. The commissioners are
elected (and well paid) to administer the county, why do they need a
county administrator? A commissioner should be able to oversee the
roads, why do they need road, bridge and shop supervisors? Why can't
the county officials live within the limits allowed by the Tabor
Amendment, increased spending by the amount of inflation and new
construction? It appears to me that the bureaucrats are going to
"grow" the county residents into the poor house. Just as the average
person must learn to live within their income so should governments.

Leroy Oldham

Editor's note: Technically, the ballot issue will not seek to
raise the mill levy. It will ask voters to approve the
"stabilization" of the current mill levy, with excess revenues kept
and spent rather than "refunded."

Dangerous?

Dear Editor:

I am wondering if anyone else feels that the 8th Street/160
intersection is dangerous? A person cannot see around bushes and
other obstacles without pulling out far past the stop sign. I have
seen many close call accidents at this intersection. I have tried
calling City Market and local law officials, but no concern is felt.
Please help fix this situation before someone is seriously injured or
killed.

Dan Pickett

Editor's note: neither City Market nor local law enforcement
determines signage or signals at the intersection. The Colorado
Department of Transportation is responsible for controls at a highway
intersection.

Community News

Auction for the Animals,
tomorrow at community center

By Cristina Woodall

Special to The PREVIEW

The Humane Society of Pagosa Springs' 12th
annual Auction for the Animals is Friday at 5:30 p.m.

The exciting festivities to support the
shelter dogs and cats of Archuleta County will be held at the Pagosa
Springs Community Center on Hot Springs Boulevard.

You are invited to join in the fun evening,
socializing over gourmet hors d'oeuvres by Farrago Market Café
and Alley House Grille and a glass of wine (with wine admission
ticket) while perusing and placing your bids on myriad items, large
and small.

The Auction for the Animals is a gala event.
Ladies, here's your chance to put on a favorite dress and get your
man out of his T-shirt.

The community has responded with an
incredible offering of donations this year. Coin collectors, look for
the 1998 U.S. one-ounce Gold Liberty American Eagle $50 coin, donated
by Debra and James Brown. Young kids and grandkids would love the
battery-powered John Deere Children's Tractor and Trailer filled with
candy from Pagosa Candy Company. Entertain the rest of the family
with a Mizerak 7-foot pool table from Terry's Ace Hardware after
grilling burgers on the Weber Genesis Silver B Three-Burner grill
from Ponderosa Do-It-Best.

If you are into fly fishing, you won't be
disappointed this year. An Orvis Superfine Tight Loop Fly Rod with
CFO II Reel is available, as well as 20 flies tied by Archuleta
County 4-H fishing instructor Kenneth Jones. Other fly-fishing
goodies include a guided fly fishing float trip from Wolf Creek
Anglers, a $150 gift certificate to Let It Fly, and a casting lesson
from Jim Hill.

There will be many more items to bid on
including a custom-built heated and cooled luxury dog house, enormous
baskets of goodies from the Choke Cherry Tree, and great getaways at
the Grand Hyatt in Downtown Denver, Hart's Rocky Mountain Retreat,
and the Springs Resort. Also included will be autographed books and
CDs, fine art, children's toys, dog and cat baskets, clothing,
jewelry and so much more.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the Community
Center. The evening starts with the silent auction from 5:30 to 7.
The live auction follows soon after.

Raffle drawings will be held in conjunction
with the live auction. Raffle tickets for an array of items will be
on sale throughout the evening.

Advance admission tickets are available
until noon Friday at WolfTracks, Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce,
Moonlight Books, and the Humane Society Thrift Store. Tickets may
also be purchased at the door. Admission ticket prices for this
extravaganza will be $25 in advance or $30 at the door for wine and
beer, including a commemorative wine glass or beer stein. Regular
admission tickets are $17 in advance, $20 at the door.

For more information, call the Humane
Society administration office at 264-5549. Join the community Friday
at the Auction for the Animals - the event of the year!

Community Choir gets ready for
Christmas concert

By Matthew Lowell Brunson

Special to The PREVIEW

The board of directors of the Community
Choir are switching into high gear with their first night of
rehearsals for the Christmas concert just around the bend.

There is music to select, folders to
organize, and nights to plan to make this year's concert one of the
strongest yet.

Rehearsals are held at the Community United
Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St. every Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
sharp. The first rehearsal will be Sept. 5 and will begin at 6:30
with registration. If you have a love for music and singing please
feel free to come and join. To register, $20 is due the first night
to help with the cost of music.

This fall, the choir is offering a special
sight singing class taught by "Doc" Carruth in September and
November. This class is not only open to the members of the choir but
to the entire community. The class will begin at 6:15 p.m. and last
until 7.

Riggs served as director/curator of the
Gallery of Contemporary Art and as and assistant professor at the
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for more than 14 years.
Riggs also served as the curator of fine art/exhibition coordinator
at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, and director/curator for the
C.B. Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Ardmore,
Okla.

Riggs' professional accomplishments include
the installation design for over 400 exhibitions. He is credited for
transforming the gallery at the University of Colorado at Colorado
Springs into one of the region's most important art spaces, and the
only one dedicated to contemporary art, whether regional of from
halfway around the world. He is a member of the American Association
of Museums, and the AAM Museum Advocacy Team. One of Riggs' long-term
projects is the Heller Ranch Center for Arts and Humanities on the
UCCS campus, which when completed, will provide high-quality
classroom, gallery, and studio space for local and visiting artists.
Riggs is an accomplished photographer, session drummer and avid
skier.

Judging, selection criteria

"Shy Rabbit has wisely chosen the broad
themes of 'Form, Figures and Symbols' to maximize the range of
contemporary expression that may be submitted. Most artists will
likely find some affinity with the show's title and their existing
work. 'Form' allows for abstraction and even work based on amorphic
or undefined shapes and/or coloration, as well as realistically
rendered, non-figurative works. 'Figures' implies tangible, but not
necessarily realistically rendered life based subject matter; figure
studies, etc. 'Symbols' allows for iconographic, even Jungian 'dream
based imagery' to be submitted; this could include imagery
incorporating virtually any known symbol, logo, or other highly
charged 'representative' cultural or socially based
interpretations.

"Given these broad themes, I will select
those submissions that I feel are the most: compelling, interesting
and/or well executed; appropriately and/or professionally presented;
original in style, and/or contemporary/timely in feel or tone. I will
also be looking for enough work in two- and three-dimensional mediums
to allow for an interesting, varied and balanced installation, in
keeping with the high level and broad range of contemporary work that
Shy Rabbit has presented in the past."

- Gerry Riggs

Call for entries

Shy Rabbit has issued a call for entries for
the Form, Figures & Symbols exhibit. Digital and slide
submissions are due Sept. 19, 5 p.m. Notifications will be e-mailed
Sept. 25. Gallery ready artwork must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 14.
Non-refundable entry fees are $25 for one to three images, plus $5
for each additional image, up to a maximum of six. Slide entries must
be accompanied by an additional $5 per slide for scanning fee. All
works must be for sale.

Entry Forms are available at
http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com/2006/08/forms-figures-symbols-prospectus_07.html;
by e-mail request at shyrabbit01@aol.com; or may be picked up at Shy
Rabbit, 333 Bastille Drive, B-1 and B-4.

You still have just about a week to pick up
your advanced-price tickets to the 11th annual Four Corners Folk
Festival taking place this Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-3, on Reservoir
Hill Park in Pagosa Springs.

The Waybacks will return to Pagosa Springs
to headline Friday's lineup at this year's event. Possessed of
dazzling instrumental chops and an absolute mastery of acoustic
musical styles, The Waybacks have taken North America by storm.
Whether they're mesmerizing audiences at intimate venues, or creating
a sensation at major festivals, the band has brought its onstage
alchemy to enthusiastic fans far and wide.

Eclectic in both their influences and
approach, The Waybacks embrace multiple genres and put their unique
stamp on the lot, rendering them all with characteristic charm, wit
and virtuosity. In so doing, they transcend genre altogether,
conjuring up musical landscapes that defy boundaries but always find
their center at the crossroads of fun and fascination.

From newgrass and western swing to jug band
and jazz, from folk and fiddle music to improvisational excursions
that defy categorization, Waybacks music is wild, energetic and
unpredictable. Their stellar musicianship and innate sense of
adventure puts them in good company with the few bands at the
forefront of today's New American acoustic music.

The success of the group's approach is
evident in its broad appeal to audiences of all ages, shapes and
tastes, whether they sit enraptured, stand drop-jawed at breathtaking
flights of fancy or just plain get up and dance. This is a populist
band in the best sense of the term, one whose ardent fan base spreads
the word like wildfire.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, The
Waybacks are Stevie Coyle, James Nash, Chuck Hamilton, Joe Kyle Jr.
and Warren Hood. Nearly a century of musical experience steps onstage
with them at every gig, including professional associations with a
host of musical luminaries ranging from Ramblin' Jack Elliot to
Lawrence Welk. Go figure. Fleet-fingered and muddy-booted, they can
play like nobody's business.

Their first two albums - "Devolver" (2000)
and "Burger After Church" (2002) - have received airplay on 100-odd
radio stations worldwide and widespread critical acclaim in the
press. Their much-anticipated live CD, "Way Live" (2003) captures the
band in their element, performing with trademark fervor. Those
recordings and the band's reputation as performers have preceded
them, garnering invitations to play mainstage sets at such premiere
venues as The Fillmore, The Birchmere, The Old Town School of Music,
The Great American Music Hall, The Freight and Salvage, The Station
Inn and The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, among others, as well as
at such festivals as Merlefest, Grand Targhee, Grey Fox, Kerrville,
Strawberry, Winterhawk, Folks Festival, Wintergrass, Old Settlers,
Walnut Valley and many more.

All told, The Waybacks is a band far greater
than the sum of its parts - five intrepid travelers following their
muse, looking to chart new territory and bringing everyone along for
the ride. It's a trip well worth taking. Don't miss it! The journey
starts on the main stage on Reservoir Hill on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7:30
p.m.

The Four Corners Folk Festival is supported
by a grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts, a state agency
funded by the Colorado General Assembly and the National Endowment
for the Arts, a federal agency.

Tickets to this year's Four Corners Folk
Festival can be purchased with a credit card by calling (970)
731-5582 or online at www.folkwest.com. Tickets are also available at
Moonlight Books downtown or at WolfTracks in the Pagosa Country
Center by cash or check. The festival features on-site camping, free
music workshops, food and merchandise vendors, free admission for
children 12 and under and a free kids program throughout the weekend.

First Children's Choir
rehearsal Sept. 13

By Sue Anderson

Special to The PREVIEW

The Pagosa Springs Children's Choralewill
begin rehearsals Sept. 13, on Wednesdays from 3:45-5:30 p.m. at
Community United Methodist Church.

The Chorale offers local young singers the
opportunity to participate in either of its two existing choirs, in
addition to attending workshops and music camps.

Bel Canto is the entry-level choir for
unchanged voices and is open to all boys and girls from ages 7 to 13
who love to sing and perform. It is in this choir that music reading
skills are taught through the singing of rounds, call and response,
and partner songs. Bel Canto performs locally throughout the holiday
season.

Dolce Cantare was established last season
for young women who wish to sing more challenging literature, are
able to read choral music, and have learned harmonization skills
either through singing in Bel Canto, at church, school or at home.
Last spring, this choir of 19 young women, ages 8 to 17, received not
only a Superior rating, but was awarded the Judge's Choice trophy in
competition with similar choirs from a six-state area held in Denver.
Self-disciplined young ladies who are seeking an opportunity to
develop their vocal skills while being a part of a group that is both
challenging and rewarding are encouraged to audition for this choir.
Acceptance into Cantare is based on singing ability and desire, not
age.

This season, the Children's Chorale is
focusing on establishing a new Boy's Choir, featuring musical
selections appropriate for young boys with unchanged voices.

For more information on participation in the
Children's Chorale, call either 264-9060 or 264-0244 prior to Aug.
30. Leave your name and your child's name and age, with a callback
number, and you will be contacted.

Film on Noguchi part of 'Let's
Explore' series

By Leanne Goebel

Special to The PREVIEW

A documentary film about Japanese-American
sculptor Isamu Noguchi, "Stones and Paper," directed by Niro Narita,
will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at Shy Rabbit
Contemporary Arts as part of the "Let's Explore" series.

"Let's Explore" brings in guest speakers,
slide presentations, films and experts to discuss the many facets of
art and art history. In July "Let's Explore" featured a slide show
and lecture on Alfred Stieglitz. In August, the film "Rivers and
Tides" about environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy was shown. In
October, Shy Rabbit will begin the series Art 21, followed by a
lecture and slide presentation in November with Gerry Riggs, the
juror from the "Forms, Figures, Symbols" juried exhibition of
contemporary art.

"Let's Explore is an opportunity to bring in
experts in their field to Pagosa and for those of us actively
involved in the creation of Shy Rabbit to do what we love - explore
art in all it's many forms and facets, sit around and talk about it
and share in the experience," said Shy Rabbit's Michael
Coffee.

Noguchi is best known for his naturalistic
designs of open space. He has worked in various media including
ceramics, furniture, interiors and gardens. Noguchi apprenticed with
Constantin Brancusi, the father of modern sculpture.

Shy Rabbit gallery will remain open from
4-6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 for those who wish to see the "Mind's Material:
Sensation, Cognition & Knowledge" exhibit prior to the film's
screening. The film will be followed by group discussion.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive,
Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown. Take U.S. 160 to North Pagosa
Boulevard, stay on North Pagosa to Bastille Drive (at UBC), turn left
and stay on Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located directly next
to Pine Valley Rental. (GPS coordinates are latitude N37 degrees,
15.193 minutes and longitude W107, 5.074 minutes).

For more information: log onto
http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com.

Writers meet writers in relaxed
environment

Every Thursday between 11:30 a.m. and 1
p.m., Brown Bag Writers, at Shy Rabbit, provides a relaxed, casual
environment for writers to drop in, listen to their muses, tap into
the creative river, and learn to not take themselves so
seriously.

Facilitated by freelance writer Leanne
Goebel, the group is informal and fun. Goebel provides writing
prompts in the form of phrases, music or visual stimuli, and writers
are free to spend 20-30 minutes writing. Then, the writers share
their work (don't worry, if you don't feel comfortable, you can
pass).

This is a gathering for writers of all
levels and abilities, an opportunity to practice writing, to prime
the pump. Bring your writing tools (pens, paper, notebooks, laptop)
and a sack lunch if you would like. The cost if $5 per session and
drop-ins are welcome.

Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Drive,
Units B-1, B-4, west of downtown. Take U.S. 160 to North Pagosa
Boulevard. Go north to Bastille Drive (at UBC), turn left and stay on
Bastille past Hopi. Shy Rabbit is located directly next to Pine
Valley Rental.

For more information: log onto
http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970) 731-2766.

'A Summer Evening of American
Folk Music' set for Saturday

By Paul Roberts

Special to The PREVIEW

A concert entitled "A Summer Evening of
American Folk Music" will be presented at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 26,
at The Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse.

A celebration of our unique cultural
heritage, "A Summer Evening of American Folk Music" features folk
singers Matthew and Tiffany Brunson, Paul and Carla Roberts and Bill
Hudson; blues guitarist Steve Rolig; The Clever Cloggers; and fiddler
Kate Kelley. Presented by Elation Center For The Arts, the program is
chuck full of vocal harmonies, galloping banjos, soaring fiddles and
guitars.

American folk music is a timeless river
running through the heart of our country. It has its roots in the
folk music of many countries, most notably England, Scotland,
Ireland, and the African continent. Much of our current, popular
music is based on folk music. This old-time sound has never gone
away; it's always here, waiting to be discovered and
rediscovered.

In the early 1960s there was a huge folk
music revival in the US. Recently, the "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou"
movie and soundtrack has rekindled the flame. And folk music is
enjoying a boost from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, who is
performing concerts of authentic, old-time American folk
songs.

"A Summer Evening of American Folk Music"
will be performed at The Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse, where ECA has
presented many community concerts. "ECA gives local performers an
opportunity to perform for the community - and gives the community an
opportunity to see talents they might not otherwise see," remarked
local cultural arts enthusiast Patsy Lindblad. "I've attended all the
ECA concerts for the past two years, and enjoyed every one," she
said.

Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for young
people, 18 and under.

Tickets are available at WolfTracks, online
at elationarts.org and at the door.

Please bring a dessert to share at
intermission if you wish.

Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse is located at 230
Port Ave. in the Vista subdivision of Pagosa Lakes. Take U.S. 160 to
Vista Boulevard. Turn north on Vista and left on Port.

"A Summer Evening of American Folk Music" is
produced by Elation Center for the Arts, a local 501(c) 3 nonprofit
arts organization whose mission is to preserve, teach and perform
traditional music and dance from around the world. Through community
concerts and educational programs, ECA strives to serve the people of
Pagosa Springs through artistic excellence.

For more information call 731-3117. See
elationarts.org on the Web. Volunteers are welcome.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday from 1-4 p.m., and 1-6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the
month. Shy Rabbit is located at: 333 Bastille Drive, Units B-1 and
B-4. For more information: log onto http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com,
call (970) 731-2766, or e-mail shyrabbit01@aol.com.

"Mind's Material" brings the work of
Pedersen, Hauck and Isberg together for the first time since they met
and became friends in 1983.

The human image is key to each artist's
work, which ends any similarities that they might otherwise exhibit.
Each, however, has produced and shown their art for decades.

Hauck's collage figures often incorporate
fine Japanese papers that look as if they could be brush strokes of
paint - capturing movement, laughter, emotion and spirit in tiny
pieces of paper all placed together to create an image that might be
equally beautiful and disturbing.

Pedersen's paintings are filled with heads:
Heads that look like masks or ancient sculptures. Heads with mouths
agape, or lips pursed. Heads with cratered eyes. Red faces on green
backgrounds. Gobs of paint and layers of color masterfully applied to
canvas creating images of heads filled with expressions of the here
and now.

Isberg paints abstracted heads and figures,
using color and geometry to express desire and emotion. Some of his
work is vibrant and colorful; other paintings are muted and
subdued.

This work evokes passion and stirs emotion.
It is art that expresses the human condition, with all its frailties
and strengths. It is art that beckons a closer look, and that speaks
in uniquely personal terms to each viewer who chances a better
understanding.

Please join us for a casual conversation
with artists Pedersen, Hauck and Isberg from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 27.

All are welcome to attend. Coffee will be
provided.

For more information: log onto

http://shyrabbit.blogspot.com or call (970)
731-2766.

Local author publishes book,
proceeds go to education fund

By Sarah O. Smith

Staff Writer

Prompted by her own experiences and the
trials of others, local resident Helena Gunther recently published a
book entitled, "Ladies, Are You Lost? Options for Women in Unhealthy
Relationships."

"Listening to friends of mine talk about
their grown daughters who have no education and are financially
dependent in relationships, in unhealthy relationships with one or
two children; they just don't feel they have any options," said
Gunther.

The book is available at WolfTracks
Bookstore and Coffee, the Methodist Thrift Store, and at on-line
bookstores such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Gunther has also
published several fiction novels under the pen name Victoria Rose.
For her first nonfiction book, she not only drew from past
experiences but also invited local women to share their own
inspirational stories.

"Sometimes, when you're in a relationship
like that, where you're financially dependent - we lose our sense of
identity," said Gunther. "It's not about how to fix a relationship.
It's about how to re-find yourself and your identity."

Gunther said the book has been picked up by
the Southwest Safehouse for Women in Durango, and she plans on giving
seminars there in the future.

"I don't expect it (the book) to be a big
seller, since it's directed to women in a particular situation," said
Gunther. "It's designed to be compact and simple to read."

All profits the book does make will be
deposited in a continuing education fund for women. Instructions on
how to apply are located in the book. Gunther said she hopes women
will be able to use the money to get educated, but that the money is
not for amenities like food or rent.

"It's for education, not maintenance," she
said.

High school to hold
Back-to-School Dance

Although few high school students may look
forward to a return to homework, most eagerly anticipate seeing their
friends and engaging in the extracurricular activities the school
provides.

The high school student council hopes the
first-ever Back-to-School Dance will accomplish just that. The dance
will be held outdoors (weather permitting) at Golden Peaks Stadium,
7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25. In case of rain, the dance will be
moved indoors to the Commons Area.

The cost for the dance is $5 for each
person. However, if students bring a new box of crayons, pencils,
colored pencils, or pens, or a package of notebook paper or a
notebook, they will save $1. The school supplies will be donated to
Operation Helping Hand and distributed to the schools.

Only students registered at the high school
and their approved out-of-school dates will be allowed to attend.
Out-of-school date forms were available at the high school office and
had to be returned to the office for the administration's approval no
later than Wednesday, Aug. 23.

No students younger than ninth grade may
attend the dance. Students will be asked to pay and check their names
on the student roster at the main ticket gate.

Members of the student council hope to see
all high school students at the dance to help kick off the school
year on an enjoyable note.

Lifelong Learning events in
August, September

By Biz Greene

Special to The PREVIEW

"Great Geezer Artists: A Look at Creative
Expressions in Old Age" is Judith Reynolds' topic for her forthcoming
lecture in Pagosa's new Lifelong Learning program, beginning this
fall.

Reynolds, former art history professor, is
an author and writer who covers performing arts in Durango. From
Michelangelo to Matisse, Hokusai to Picasso, artists have often
created their most profound work after age 75, Reynolds points out.
Why do lesser talents run dry?

Her lecture will explore the varieties of
late-life artistic production.

The lecture will take place at the Sisson
Library, 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28.

Lifelong Learning in Pagosa begins this
month with John Graves presenting the highlights of jazz history at
the Sisson Library, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 31. His presentation will be
followed by a performance in the parking lot at the library.

All presenters in Lifelong Learning in
Pagosa are volunteers who offer their knowledge and expertise gratis
to our community. All programs are free and open to the public. Many
presenters will come from Fort Lewis College and others are permanent
residents of Pagosa springs.

A schedule of offerings will be published
weekly in The PREVIEW.

Persons interested in offering a program
should contact Biz Greene at the Education Center, located at the
corner of 4th and Lewis streets.

Bible study sessions begin in
September

Precept Upon Precept, the inductive Bible
study pioneered by Kay Arthur, will begin Sept. 14 and will continue
until Nov. 16. The study this session will be on Leviticus, the third
book of the Five Books of Moses.

Do you know how to worship God? How are we
to live as the priests and a kingdom that God's Word says we are in
Jesus Christ? What do sacrifices, priesthoods and feasts teach us
about how we can be holy and worship God as we were designed by Him
to do? This study reveals tremendous insights into how we, as an
unholy people, can approach the Holy of Holies to worship Him
properly.

Join this study of Leviticus, a frequently
overlooked book of the Bible because of its focus on temple
sacrifices, as it lays the foundation for our Christian worship of
the God of Israel.

Jerri Anderson, of Grace Evangelical Free
Church, will be the study leader and teacher. Classes will be held at
Restoration Fellowship's Berean Room and will begin at 9 a.m. each
meeting day.

The workbook costs $14.50, and you can
register to attend by calling the church office at Restoration
Fellowship, 731-2937, Ext. 21, by Aug. 30.

Will Dunbar - an artist's
journey

By Kathleen Steventon

Special to The PREVIEW

Will Dunbar.

Why does he do it?

This is the first in a series of articles
that will explore exactly that question - with Will and many other
locals who create art. We will follow them on their personal journeys
over a period of time. Perhaps the exploration of their growth and
dreams will lend us an insight into what it takes to live
artistically in our materialistic society.

Have you heard of Will? Maybe you know him,
or perhaps you've seen his lustrous wood turnings at the downtown
Wild Spirit Gallery. His touch on the lathe is decisive, yet the
wooden sculptures that emerge are delicately intuitive. The glowing
finishes on his pieces reflect the wood's grain, its every nuance,
its very life.

Recently I sat down as a fellow artist on
yet another bright, balmy, perfect Pagosa day and discussed Will's
work and his journey to find a market for it. From the exterior, Will
is quiet, soft spoken, modest, warm. Ask him a few questions about
his wood turnings, and he becomes animated, excited, passionate.

He and his wife, Nancy, also an artist, live
quietly outside town, their house filled with works they've created
out of wood, reed, feathers and other natural materials. Inside the
hand-built dwelling and studio (built over a period of many years)
Will's woodworking expertise is visible everywhere: on the doors,
along the baseboards and wood trims, and in the multitude of
craftsman-style, hand-built furniture pieces evident everywhere you
look.

Will's journey to art began more than 30
years ago in California. Working in the interior design industry,
fresh out of school with a bachelor of arts degree from the
University of California at Sacramento, Will began his artistic
journey creating and restoring furniture. Woodworking seemed second
nature to him and so, after working an eight-hour day, Will would
head to his shop and begin the "real" part of his day. Asked what
makes someone create, after working a full week, Will responded
simply, "I'm compelled to create. Whether making furniture, building
a house, or gardening."

Will and Nancy bought property in Pagosa in
1993, "while it was still affordable," and broke ground on their home
in 1999. It was here that Will expanded his expertise in furniture
making to include the exploration of the art of wood turning in 2002.

I asked Will, why the change? His response,
"It's been a desire of mine, and of many woodworkers, to pursue
working with the lathe. The turned vessel is created right in front
of your eyes. No parts to assemble, no diagrams. There are
spontaneous results, and an immediate link to the wood."

Will's work has progressed naturally over
the last five years. He has experimented with forms and finishes.
"Sensual" would be a proper adjective to describe the forms Will
creates. Also "earthy," "mysterious," "intuitive."

"The form is the favorite part of what I
do," Will said. Closely followed by his exploration of wood finishes.
Originally, Will used applications of friction finishes to create
dull sheens on his pieces. This technique has evolved into multiple
layers of higher gloss looks, as well as recent experimentation with
turquoise inlays and copper-leaf finishes. Will loves the
juxtaposition of metal and wood, but acknowledges that he hasn't
found a market for them yet. "Most of my buyers select natural wood
pieces, or those with turquoise inlay. The appeal is nature, color,
and the amazing wood grains. I can't seem to find a place yet for my
newer vessels that mix wood and metal."

Which leads us to a dilemma common to all
artists. The work we do comes from deep within ourselves. Our
inspiration is very personal and private. This may not always
translate to marketability of the art. Do we simply create to sell,
and sacrifice our true selves in the process? Or do we create for
ourselves in the hopes of finding a market?

Will shook his head when I asked him these
questions. "I know exactly what you mean. I do struggle with this
issue every time I start a new piece. To me, art is the integration
of person to finished piece. If the artist does not make a personal
impression on their work, I don't consider it art. Copying something
exactly the way it appears falls short of art, in my opinion."

Which led me to my next question. How are
you marketing yourself and your beautiful work? Will is now
represented at La Mesa Gallery in Santa Fe, Wild Spirit Gallery in
Pagosa, Local Color Gallery in Chama, and Handcrafted Interiors in
Pagosa.

Will shared a good story about his
introduction to the Santa Fe gallery.

His good friend, Sandy Applegate, an artist
herself, was scouting gallery possibilities in Santa Fe last fall of
2005. While in the La Mesa Gallery, she struck up a conversation with
the gallery's owner. Sandy recognized that Will's wood turnings would
be an asset to the gallery. After pointing this out to the owner,
whose interest was piqued, Will and La Mesa began an e-mail
interchange over a period of several months. Photo images of Will's
work passed back and forth between Pagosa and Santa Fe, resulting in
a contract agreement between the two this past spring 2006. Will has
already sold one piece through the gallery in Santa Fe, and many more
through the local Wild Spirit Gallery. Jean Magnelli, the director of
Wild Spirit, has sold Will's work to appreciative art lovers from
Norway and Belgium, and as well as from all over the United
States.

I asked Will where he sees his art career
going. Wistfully he replied that he "hopes to become independent, to
make a living beyond retirement with his work."

Does he think he can get there from here? He
does, but the road to financial success, for artistic endeavors such
as Will's stunning wood turned vessels, is blurry. Another type of
challenge for him. But, "challenge" is another word for
"opportunity," is it not?

Hearing Will Dunbar discuss his life journey
and his work, it seems evident that the many challenges he faces will
be met. Perhaps when we revisit Will in a few years we'll discover
how he has overcome some of these challenges. Who knows what his work
will have become by then?

College sorority alumnae
sought

By Carole Howard

Special to The PREVIEW

Women who were members of a Panhellenic
sorority during their college days are asked to save the date of
Saturday, September 30 for the first-ever luncheon of sorority
alumnae to take place in Pagosa Springs.

The event is being organized by members of
the San Juan Pi Beta Phi alumnae group.

Prepaid reservations will be required
several days before the luncheon, which will take place at JJ's
Upstream restaurant. Cost will be $20 per person, including a
pre-arranged entrée, dessert, non-alcoholic drink, tax and
tip.

"Details still are being firmed up," said
Lisa Scott, president of the local Pi Phis. "We will get more
information out in mid-September. Right now we just want to alert
local sorority women to our plans so they can put the event on their
calendars."

As the date gets closer, the organizers will
decide if the event will be held outside on the riverfront patio or
inside in the large patio room overlooking the river. "We also hope
the weather cooperates so that we can stage a group photo outside on
the riverfront," Scott said.

The San Juan alumnae group of Pi Beta Phi
was formed in Pagosa Springs in March 2000. Chi Omega also has a
local alumnae club, based in Durango. "Other than that, we only know
of a few individual sorority alumnae," Scott said. "We hope this
luncheon will help identify others, and give us all an opportunity to
get together to renew the bonds of Greek life."

For more information, contact Scott at
264-2730.

Bid on a wide variety of items
at Shamrock Fest

By Christelle Troell

Special to The Preview

Need some decorative items to spruce up your
home?

Or, perhaps you just need to get away for a
few days of rest and relaxation.

How about some fly fishing lessons?

These are just a few of the items Lynne
McCrudden and Judy Cole have assembled for the silent auction at the
Sept. 9 Shamrock Festival at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church.

Local artist Jan Nanus is offering a
watercolor titled "Autumn at Engineer Mountain." The 11x15 artwork
will be matted to 16x20 and ready for you to frame. Jan, a former
graphic artist, has been painting for over 30 years.

David Brooks, known for his extraordinary
woodworking, will offer some decorative wooden bowls this
year.

You will also be able to bid on a week's
stay in a private home in Keystone, Colo.

A number of services will be offered this
year. Ken Jones will teach you how to fly fish. Rada Neal, local
professional musician and composer, will provide two hours of piano
entertainment. You might chose to bid on a delicious Thai dinner
delivered to your home.

Other interesting items include cigars from
Honduras, two sets of golf clubs, wicker furniture and gift
certificates from Curves and Isabel's.

The all-day festival kicks off at 8 a.m.
with breakfast and activities for the entire family. There will be a
yard sale with a bit of everything, a Book Nook offering used books,
a County Cupboard which will include crafts, home items and a bake
sale.

There will be eight different recipes of the
popular frozen casseroles for you to choose from.

Tickets for a queen-size handmade quilt will
also be available until the drawing later that afternoon.

Children will find plenty of activities in
Leprechaun Land with a bounce house, corn shucking contest and train
ride.

The festivities conclude that evening with a
barbecue beef dinner provided by St. Patrick's caterer Joanne Irons.
The menu includes corn on the cob, potato salad and tossed salad, and
brownies a la mode for dessert. A country band will provide
entertainment. Mark your calendar now and bring the entire family.

Marcel, a boy of 10, witnesses the success
of his teacher father, as well as the success of his arrogant Uncle
Jules. Marcel and family spend their summer vacation in a cottage in
Provence, where Marcel befriends a local boy who teaches him the
secrets of the hills in Provence.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, Unit 15, Greenbriar Plaza.
Turn east on Greenbrier Drive off of North Pagosa by the fire
station, then left into the back parking lot and look for the big
sign. A suggested $3 donation will benefit the Friends of the
Library.

PCC offers business statistics
class in Pagosa

A business statistics class will be offered
Sept. 11-Dec. 11, Mondays, 6-8:30 p.m., at the Archuleta County
Education Center.

Call Pueblo Community College at 247-2929,
Ext. 105 to register.

Charles T. Crabtree to speak at
First Assembly of God Church

Rev. Charles T. Crabtree, assistant general
superintendent of the Assemblies of God, will be guest speaker at The
First Assembly of God Church, 110 Trinity Lane, at 10:30 a.m. and 6
p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27.

Rev. Crabtree began his ministry as an
associate pastor in southern California and traveled as an itinerant
evangelist from 1960-63. He pastored two Assemblies of God churches.
In 1963, he was elected pastor of First Assembly, Des Moines, Iowa,
and in 1974 assumed the pastorate of Bethel Church in San Jose,
Calif. In 1988, he was appointed as the national director of the
Decade of Harvest of the Assemblies of God.

As assistant general superintendent of the
Pentecostal denomination, Crabtree is a member of the Board of
Administration and the Executive Presbytery. He presently serves as
chair of the Church Ministries Division and is a member of numerous
boards and committees. He has written a number of books on doctrine,
church administration and pastoral theology. His articles appear
regularly in denominational periodicals.

Crabtree and his wife, Ramona, have three
grown daughters and 11 grandchildren.

All are invited to come hear the
inspirational, camp meeting-style preaching.

Call the church office with any questions,
731-5767.

UU service to deal with notion
of practice

On Sunday, Aug. 27, the Pagosa Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship will consider "Buddhism, Humanism, and the
Notion of Practice."

The speaker will be the Rev. Anne Odin
Heller, a retired Unitarian minister, now living in Taos, N.M.

"The humanism of Unitarianism and the
philosophy of Buddhism are very close," she explains. "One of the
important things which separates them is the notion of practice. What
would it be like to be a practicing Unitarian Universalist?"

Odin Heller has had a wide range of
ministerial and administrative experience, having served fellowships
in Minneapolis, Reno, and Sierra Foothills, as well as stewarding the
Pacific Northwest UU District to impressive growth as its district
executive.

The service, children's program, and child
care begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall, Unit 15, Greenbriar
Plaza. Turn east on Greenbrier Drive off of North Pagosa by the fire
station, then left into the back parking lot and look for the big
sign. All are welcome.

Local Chatter

An interesting read from a
reporter

By Kate Terry

Few people have witnessed more scenes of
chaos and conflict around the world than Anderson Cooper whose
ground-breaking work on CNN has changed the way many people watch the
news.

Cooper is the son of Gloria Vanderbilt and
grew up on Manhattan's East Side. Early in his life, he lost his
father to a heart attack and a brother to suicide. These tragedies in
Anderson's life had an unusual impact on his career.

As a reporter, he was driven to cover the
suffering he found all over the world and it became impossible to
separate his personal pain and loss from that he found around him. He
thought that by going to the war-torn countries, he could escape his
past agonies and his family's tragic history and somehow lessen his
personal pain.

From Sarajevo to Somalia, his reflections on
Iraq, Rwanda and finally Katrina and New Orleans are vivid, and one
feels how deeply these events affected him and how difficult it was
to separate his work from his life.

The book is "Anderson Cooper - Dispatches
From the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival." Sisson
Library does not have this book. I hope someone will donate a
copy.

Around town

A friend told me this story last week.

She saw her neighbor's cat running across
the yard chased by a doe and its fawn. They chased the cat under a
flatbed storing a boat. The flatbed was located by the side of her
house. The doe and the fawn looked under the flatbed but they
couldn't reach the cat. They proceeded to climb on the flatbed and
wait for the cat to come out. The cat would not accommodate them so
they finally tired of the sport and scampered off on their
adventures. I can't find anyone else who as seen deer chasing a cat.
Have you?

Please note

St. Patrick's Episcopal Church's annual
Shamrock Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, at the church
located at 225 So. Pagosa Springs Blvd. Watch The PREVIEW for more
details.

The latest community concert by Elation
Center for the Arts is "A Summer Evening of American Folk Music," to
be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse.
With folk songs, Mississippi blues, Appalachian dances and
old-fashioned sing-alongs, the evening celebrates our cultural
heritage.

"Sharing our folk music tradition is a great
way for people to feel pride in our country," said Paul Roberts,
director of ECA. The concert features Matthew and Tiffany Brunson,
Paul and Carla Roberts, Steve Rolig and special guests. For more
information, log on to eleationarts.org or call 731-3117.

Fun on the Run

Joe Smith started the day early, having set
his alarm clock (made in Japan) for 6 a.m. While his coffee pot (made
in Japan) is perking, he puts his blow dryer (made in Taiwan) to work
and shaves with his electric razor (made in Hong Kong).

He puts on a dress shirt (made in Taiwan),
his designer jeans (made in Singapore), and a pair of tennis shoes
(made in Korea). After cooking up some breakfast in his new electric
skillet (made in the Philippines), he sits down to figure out on his
calculator (made in Mexico) how much he can spend today.

After setting his watch (made in
Switzerland) to the radio (made in Hong Kong), he goes out, gets in
his car (made in Germany), and as has been his daily task for months,
goes looking for a good paying American job.

After the end of another discouraging and
fruitless day, Joe decides to relax for a while. He puts on a pair of
sandals (made in Brazil) and turns on his TV (made in Japan), and
ponders again why he cannot find that "good paying American
job."

Community Center News

Colorfest dance features the
High Rollers

By Becky Herman

PREVIEW Columnist

It's time to start thinking about The Chamber's annual Colorfest
weekend, Sept. 15-17, when we celebrate what some of us think is the
most beautiful time of year in Pagosa Country.

Friday, there will be a Beer, Brats, and Balloons picnic in the
park the early part of the evening. The beer comes from SKA brewing,
and the picnic itself is hosted by the Knights of Columbus. Then,
everyone is invited to spend the rest of the evening at the community
center where the High Rollers from Durango will provide music for
listening and dancing. As usual, there will be free snacks and a cash
bar. Watch here for details about ticket information.

Humane Society auction

Tomorrow, it's here - the 12th annual Humane Society Auction for
the Animals, at 5:30 p.m. Not only can you bid on all sorts of
wonderful stuff and have a glass of wine with your gourmet treats,
but you are supporting the Society in its caring for the dogs and
cats of Archuleta County. One of the items donated for auction comes
from the community center: a table for six for the Colorfest dance.

Hurry to get your tickets, available at WolfTracks, Moonlight
Books, the Chamber, and the Humane Society Thrift Store: $17 in
advance and $20 at the door.

More information is available from the Humane Society; see their
latest newsletter, Paw Press, for lots of details.

Yoga schedule

The class, which now meets Tuesdays instead of Thursdays, has also
changed its meeting time to 10:30-11:30 in the morning. This class,
another community center-sponsored program, is free to the public of
all ages. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Thanks to Diana Baird for leading this group. Call the center for
information.

Line dancing

This comes from Gerry Potticary, our line dancing group leader:
"Calling all line dancers back from vacation. If you have missed
several weeks, don't worry about catching up. We will go over all the
new moves before adding music. We promise that after 30 minutes you
will be back in the groove. Remember, no line dancing on Labor Day."

The line dancing group meets in the multipurpose room Monday
mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. All are welcome, even those with no
previous experience.

For more information call the center at 264-4152 or call Gerry at
731-9734.

Self-Help for Health

According to Medora Bass, the teacher of this self-help group, the
first class as a group came up with the characteristics of a person
who is physically healthy. Each person formulated a goal he/she
wanted to achieve during the course of the class.

Last week, at the second class, the group looked at some possible
reactions and responses to having a health challenge and came up with
reactions that don't work. Among these were: resignation,
helplessness, depression, denial, resentment, anger, fear, anxiety
and resistance. Responses that the group thought would work were:
acceptance, dealing with the situation with sense of humor, loving
oneself through the challenge, and rising up to meet the challenge
and taking action. One person acted out the homework assignment. She
acted with remarkable ease and proficiency the parts of her symptom
and her healing force and then the healing force interacting with and
healing the symptom.

Each person answered the question concerning what is the
opportunity to learn and grow personally in the situation of having a
health challenge. Since illness is often a wake-up call about
something that is out of balance in one's life, participants looked
at what they want to do but currently are not doing, such as starting
a new career or speaking with integrity. They also looked at what
they are doing but do not want to be doing, such as spending more
time working than they want, etc.

If you are interested in the details of how this program works,
call the center at 264-4152 or stop by for a handout which will
explain the process.

These classes are not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. The
goal of this program is to help participants be aware of factors that
may affect their health and help them better realize their goals.

For more information about costs and location, call the center at
264-4152.

eBay Club

Since the eBay Club has been meeting in the computer lab, the time
has been changed in order not to interfere with regular use of the
lab. The club will meet on the same day, the third Thursday of each
month, but at 5:30 p.m. instead of in the morning. Please join Ben
Bailey for tips on buying and selling.

Managing diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 20.8
million children and adults in the United States who have diabetes;
that's 7 percent of the population. While an estimated 14.6 million
have been diagnosed with the disease, 6.2 million (nearly one third)
are unaware that they have the disease.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or
properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar,
starches and other food into the energy needed for daily life. The
cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics
and environmental factors play roles.

The community center's Managing Diabetes group is our small, but
we hope not insignificant, way to help those in our community who
have or are at risk for this disease. Please let us know if there are
specific ways in which this program could help you. The next meeting
at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 31.

Computer lab news

Two new Beginning Computing classes started Aug. 22 and 23. This
series of classes will end in October.

We are now taking reservations for the class which will start
close to the end of October. Please let us know as early as possible
if you are interested in joining us at that time. Classes are free to
everyone, and we try to tailor what is taught to your individual
needs.

Stop by the center if you would like copies of the handouts from
the first class. These two handouts are particularly helpful for new
computer users, since they focus on keyboard and mouse skills.
Keyboard shortcuts are particularly helpful for new users, and one of
the handouts is a very complete listing of these shortcuts.

Call the center at 264-4152 for information about classes or
computer use.

Center hours

The community center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 8 to 5:30
Tuesday through Friday ; and 10 to 4 Saturday.

Need a place to have a party or meeting? We have very affordable
rooms for small, mid-size and large groups. A catering kitchen is
also available. Tables, chairs, a portable stage, a dance floor and
audiovisual equipment are available, too. The center is located at
451 Hot Springs Blvd. Call 264-4152.

Senior News

'Fight Bac' with simple
cleaning practices

By Jeni Wiskofske

SUN Columnist

The Fight Bac campaign for food safety promotes four important
points: clean, cook, shill and separate.

All four of these factors are important, but cleanliness is
crucial. Many health experts agree that the most important thing you
can do to prevent illness is to wash your hands. Clean hands are
vital to health and food safety. Wash your hands with soap and warm
water for 20 seconds under running water. Then, be sure to dry your
hands thoroughly with a clean paper or cloth towel.

When you're preparing foods, a clean kitchen is also essential for
food safety. Clean utensils and countertops with hot soapy water
before and after preparing food. Kitchen sponges, dishrags and towels
can harbor bacteria. Depending on how much you use them, wash
dishrags and towels frequently in the washing machine and dry them
completely. You can put wet kitchen sponges in the microwave for one
minute to sanitize them and to start the drying process. You can also
put sponges in the dishwasher and run them through a cycle with your
dishes. Be sure to replace your kitchen sponge frequently so that
it's always fresh.

By keeping your hands and your kitchen clean, you'll be taking an
important step in preventing food borne illness for you and your
family.

Pain management tips

From Nathan Trout.

Heat versus cold.

Heat is used to alleviate pain when you have mild to moderate
soreness after an activity. A heating pad set on medium heat and
placed on the area of soreness for 15 minutes should assist in
decreasing level of soreness. Hot tubs or hot springs are also useful
if you have no medical concerns of full body immersion in warm water;
also limit to time in the water. Heat pack may be used 3 times per
day until soreness gone.

Cold is more useful when you can say "this hurts" or have a high
degree of soreness. Use an ice pack wrapped in a pillowcase with 3
layers of pillowcase cloth between your skin and the pack for 10-15
minutes. May be used three times per day until you have reduce the
pain or high soreness, then you may switch to heat or exercise.

Easy daily stretches

1. Straight knee calf stretch: lean against a wall with your
hands; put one foot behind you and point the toes of that foot
straight ahead towards wall; keeping heel down, lean into the wall
until a gentle stretch is felt in the upper calf muscle. Hold 30
seconds.

2. Bent knee calf stretch: lean against the wall with your hands;
put one foot behind you but not as far as in No. 1 above and point
the toes straight ahead towards wall again; keeping heel down, lean
into the wall until a gentle stretch is felt in the lower calf
muscle. Hold 30 seconds.

4. Quad stretch: hold onto something sturdy with one hand;
standing on one leg, bring the other foot up behind you and grasp the
top of that foot with your hand on the same side of your body; pull
foot up towards your buttocks until a gentle stretch is felt in the
front of your thigh. Hold 30 seconds. An alternative is to place the
top of your foot onto the seat of a chair if the front of the thigh
is very tight or the knee does not bend well.

Aikido classes

The martial way of harmony.

Aikido is a relatively modern martial art, although its roots go
back nearly 1,000 years to secret techniques of samurai warriors.
Beginning in September, The Den will be offering Aikido classes every
Wednesday at 1 p.m. Please sign up with The Den office by Friday,
Aug. 25, if you would like to participate in the September classes.

The founder, Morehei Ueshiba or O-Sensei, studied traditional
martial arts as a young man. Many say he was the greatest martial
artist who ever lived. A deeply spiritual man, he became convinced
that the true purpose of the martial way was self-perfection and the
loving protection of all beings. He named his art "Aikido," which
translates to "The Way of Harmony with the Universe."

Aikido students learn hand techniques for armed and unarmed
attackers, and train with the wooden sword and short staff. Most
importantly, they learn to blend with and redirect and attacker's
energy, controlling the attacker. There is no competition in Aikido
because of O-Sensei's beliefs and because the techniques are too
powerful. With the goal of bettering oneself rather than trying to be
better than an opponent, students of all ages and skills can safely
practice and learn together.

Aikido is beneficial for health, coordination, stress relief and
character. Aikido is practiced by people of all physical abilities
from children well into the senior years. To join the Aikido classes
at The Den or for more information, call Jeni at 264-2167.

August Mystery Trip

Over the mountains and through the woods, to our next adventure we
must go. Gold and copper way up high, the history and beauty will
make you sigh.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, 18 lucky folks will meet at The Den at 9
a.m. The senior bus will be our mode of transportation and the cost
is only $5 per person. All participants must be able to walk on
uneven terrain at high elevations of approximately 11,200 feet. The
road to out next adventure is rough and bumpy so not great for those
who get carsick. Everyone should bring a water bottle, a folding
chair (to sit on for lunch), camera, sunscreen, sun hat, comfortable
walking/hiking shoes and please dress appropriately for the weather
(you will be outside and at high altitude). We will depart The Den at
9:15 and arrive at our destination at approximately 11:15. Lunch will
be provided and we will return to The Den by 4. Please remember that
reservations for the Mystery Trips are on a first come first serve
basis and they do fill up quickly, so don't delay.

Grand finale

Sunshine, hanging out by the river, eating delicious barbecue,
enjoying friends, a wild egg race. Any of these happenings sound fun
or outrageous?

If so, join us Friday to celebrate the final and ultimate Picnic
in the Park - at Town Park, by the Arts Council building.

We are pulling out all of the tricks and going out with a bang! We
will begin with a Wild Egg Race at 11:45 a.m. The race is one of
balance, speed and pure craziness. There will be spoons, eggs (not
hardboiled) and a finish line to cross to win some great prizes! The
Wild Egg Race will be followed by a delicious lunch under the shade
trees, as we listen to the river flowing by.

We will also celebrate all of the August babies by recognizing
their birthdays with a $1 birthday lunch, a birthday cake and the
traditional birthday song. Friday is Spirit Day in the park so wear
your Silver Foxes Den T-shirts to show your spirit! (T-shirts for $8
and polos for $15 will be available for sale at the picnic.) And to
add to our final picnic celebration, we will host our friends from
Arboles as they come to Pagosa to join in on the festivities.

Bring your friends, your relatives, or just bring yourself with a
smile and an appetite to this special event. It is your last chance
to enjoy the sunshine, the food, the camaraderie, the laughs and
Pagosa's beautiful outdoors all at the same time with the summer
finale of a Picnic in the Park.

Birthday celebration

If you are age 60 or older and your birthday is in August, come to
Town Park Friday for lunch and celebrate your birthday. Seniors, Inc.
has graciously agreed to pay for a portion of your birthday meal, so
it will only cost $1 for a great picnic lunch and lots of fun!
Remember to let us know it is your birthday when you check in at the
desk.

Day hike, llama and lunch

The day hike with a llama and a lunch has been rescheduled to
Saturday, Aug. 26, for those who have made reservations with The Den.
We will meet at the ticket office at the Durango Mountain Resort at
9:30 a.m. and complete our day at 4 p.m. We will ride the chairlift
up the mountain and enjoy a moderate hike of approximately five to
six miles, then enjoy the relaxation of riding the chairlift back
down to the bottom. The llama will carry the wine, cheese and a
delicious lunch for a mid-day picnic at a scenic overlook. You will
need to bring water, wear layers for the changing weather,
comfortable hiking boots, a hat and sunscreen. Call The Den at
264-2167 with any questions.

Bar D in Durango

It's a night out on the town Thursday, Aug. 31, with a trip to the
Bar D Chuck Wagon Ranch. Get ready for a hearty barbecue supper
followed by a great western stage show. There is also a blacksmith
shop, an artisan shop, a leather shop and a chocolate factory on
location.

Cost is $17 per person with a choice of roast beef or chicken, and
the dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. The Den will provide transportation
(limited seating available) for a $5 fee and will leave at 4:30 p.m.
and return around 11. Sign up with The Den office by Tuesday, Aug.
29. Join us for a real western hoedown under the stars and enjoy an
incredible dinner with an entertaining performance!

Senior discounts

Join hundreds of other seniors in our community taking advantage
of the many discounts available through local merchants by joining
Archuleta Seniors, Inc. Memberships are available for folks age 55
and older and can be purchased at The Den for $5 on Mondays and
Fridays from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9-11. No
memberships are sold Thursdays. Not only will you receive generous
discounts from local businesses, but you'll be eligible for our
Mystery Trip program and other trips in addition to discounts at such
senior activities as Oktoberfest.

Membership also entitles those who meet annual income guidelines
to scholarships for eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental, prescription
drugs and medical equipment. Archuleta Seniors, Inc. even offers
financial assistance for medical shuttles to Durango handled by The
Den. This is the best discount program in town, and a great way to
help our senior community. Sign up now and acquire the benefits for
2006.

Senior of the Week

We would like to congratulate Jeanne-Marie Banderet as Senior of
the Week. She will enjoy free lunches all week. We would also like to
congratulate Lee Gladfelter in Arboles. He will enjoy free lunches at
Arboles Meal Day during the month of September.

Volunteers needed

Are you looking for a way to volunteer some time to your community
and make an immediate impact on someone's life?

The Silver Foxes Den Senior Center has an opportunity for you to
make new friends while you donate one lunch hour per week to the
home-delivery meal program for our senior citizens. Applicants must
provide their own vehicle and a background check will be completed on
all applicants. Adopt a home-delivery route today and brighten the
lives of a few senior citizens. For more information, contact Musetta
at 264-2167.

Make an immediate impact on someone's life and volunteer as a
driver for medical shuttles to Durango to help those with medical
appointments who are unable to drive themselves. A county vehicle and
the fuel are provided for the shuttle. You must have good people
skills and be a safe driver. Applications are currently being
accepted in The Den office. A background check will be completed on
all candidates. For more information, contact Musetta. Please make a
difference, and volunteer.

I recently wrote in this column about certain "presumptive"
medical conditions that are considered service connected
disabilities.

Most commonly, many veterans are aware of exposure to the
herbicide Agent Orange in Vietnam and the side affects of that
exposure such as Diabetes Type II, prostate cancer and a number of
other medical conditions.

The assumption by the VA has been, if you were in country in
Vietnam during the Vietnam War and you have certain medical problems
such as those above and others, it is presumed that this medical
condition is due to your exposure to Agent Orange. Essentially, you
do not have to prove your case, the VA acknowledges the presumptive
and awards the service connected disability.

However, until recently, the VA did not usually consider that a
veteran was exposed to Agent Orange unless the claimant was on the
ground in Vietnam. The claimant may have had to prove the exposure.

New information

I recently received the following information in a VA Court of
Appeals case that broadened the possible exposure to Agent Orange to
include those who served in Vietnam in the Navy off the coast of
Vietnam or in nearby countries of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

"The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims recently held that VA
regulations defining who had service in Vietnam for the purpose of
establishing a presumption to exposure to herbicides (e.g. Agent
Orange) were too restrictive. Consequently, those who served in
Thailand, Laos and Cambodia or on Navy ships off the coast of Vietnam
may be eligible for service connection of certain cancers, including
lung and prostate cancer, as well as Type 2 Diabetes.

"Veterans who were previously denied service connection for a
presumptive disability should reopen their claim with the VA. Those
who have a presumptive disability should apply immediately for
service connection. Those who receive service connection for any
disability are entitled to free treatment for that condition at any
VA medical facility and may be entitled to a monthly payment from the
VA."

Share-A-Ride

Don't forget to call or stop by my office with your VA health care
appointments for the Share-A-Ride program. Help a fellow veteran who
may be going in the same direction to the same VA facility. Give me a
call if you can provide transportation or need transportation. I will
keep a calendar of who is going where to coordinate this important
program.

Durango VA Clinic

The Durango VA Outpatient Clinic is located at 400 South Camino
Del Rio, Suite G, (next to Big 5 Sports). Phone number is 247-2214.
Albuquerque VAMC phone number is (800) 465-8262.

Further information

For information on these and other veteran's benefits, call or
stop by the Archuleta County Veterans Service Office located at 46
Eaton Drive, Suite 7 (behind City Market). The office number is
731-3837, the fax number is 731-3879, cell number is 946-6648, and
e-mail is afautheree@archuletacounty.org. The office is open from 8
to 4, Monday through Friday. Bring your DD Form 214 (Discharge) for
application for VA programs, and for filing in the VSO office.

Library News

Free jazz event at library

By Carole Howard

SUN Columnist, and the library
staff

You are invited to a very special evening at
the library on Thursday, Aug. 31, when John Graves will entertain at
a free jazz event.

He will lead a discussion of the development
of jazz from the 1920s through the Big Band era of the '40s in the
library's Turner Reading Room from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. That lecture
will be followed by a jazz concert in the parking lot from 7 to 8.
This musical treat is free and open to the public. Please bring
chairs or blankets to sit on, and remember that no alcohol is
permitted on library property.

This event is the first in a new series at
the library called Lifelong Learning, organized locally by library
volunteer Biz Greene.

Future free events in the fall will include
lectures by Fort Lewis faculty on topics such as "Preserving Western
History," "Women to the Rescue: Creating Mesa Verde National Park,"
"Engineers without Borders" and "The Venus Figurine Controversy."
Later, there also will be presentations by talented local people as
well.

New look at the library

As you've visited the library this summer,
you may have noticed several changes.

The Hershey Collection of Southwest books
has been moved to a more visible place, and Terry Hershey's furniture
in front of the shelves gives you the feeling you are in their living
room or den as you peruse this remarkable collection.

Meagan's Place, the special section for
teens and young adults, also has been opened up. Previously tall
shelves of books at its entrance obscured the warm and cozy look of
this area.

Also, the new books section to the left of
the front door as you enter the library is now much more open and
inviting.

All these changes were made by the staff to
make the library look more friendly and welcoming. They are excellent
examples of what creative people can do without spending a penny!

Several new books have been added to the
Teens and Young Adults section of the library that we think will
interest you.

One, called "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz
Ryan, has won multiple awards for outstanding young adult fiction. It
tells the inspiring story of a young woman whose family was forced to
leave their ranch in Mexico and flee to California to face - and
ultimately thrive in - a much more difficult life. Another is a
three-part series of books by J. B. Stephens called "The Big Empty"
about the adventures of six teens after a virus wipes out nearly half
the world.

New books on CD

Books on CD are becoming more popular with
our patrons every day, and we have new ones coming in regularly from
bestselling authors. They include "Miracle" by Danielle Steel, "Sea
Swept" by Nora Roberts, "Manhunt" by Janet Evanovich, and "Dark
Harbor" by Stuart Woods. On a more serious level, and still on CD, is
"American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil
and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century" by Kevin Phillips.

New non-fiction books

"Supreme Command" by Eliot A. Cohen is
winning prizes and rave reviews for its coverage of soldiers,
statesmen and leadership in wartime. Using the experiences of Abraham
Lincoln, Georges Clemenceau, Winston Churchill and David Ben-Gurion
to build his case, the author appeals not only to people interested
in military and political affairs and also to anyone interested in
leadership.

"Oh What A Slaughter" by Larry McMurty is a
searing history of the bloody massacres that marked - and marred -
the settling of the American West in the 19th century, and still
provoke immense controversy today.

"Grand Canyon: Solving the Earth's Grandest
Puzzle" by James Lawrence Powell reads like a detective novel as it
traces the work of generations of geologists trying to understand
this majestic landscape.

"Potty Training Your Baby" by Katie Warren
claims its advice will allow you to begin training before your
child's first birthday and be fully completed by the second year.

Pagosa Reads

History on the half shell

By Fran Jenkins

Special to The PREVIEW

Mark Kurlansky begins his narrative, "The
Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell," in 1609 with Henry Hudson, a
British explorer employed by Holland to find a water route through
North America to China.

While exploring the eastern seaboard of
North America, Hudson and his crew entered what is known now as New
York and "almost as if falling through a keyhole, found themselves in
another world." The land around this great confluence of rivers was
abundant was with wildlife and the rivers were teeming with marine
life.

Landing on Staten Island, the shore party
found ripe plums and grapevines. The sailors traded their tools with
the Lenape natives for hemp, beans, and a local delicacy -
oysters.

Thus begins the author's masterful writing,
taking you into the depths of history with his exhaustive research of
New York and the oyster. When the early explorers sailed through the
rivers and waterways, there were 350 square miles of oyster beds,
estimated to be over half of the world's supply in the 1600s. Oysters
were reported to be more than a foot in length.

Until the early 1900s the oyster played the
leading role in the city of New York's economy, gastronomy and
ecology. They appealed to the rich and, because they were cheap, they
were a mainstay in the poor man's diet.

The oyster fills another important role
beyond filling stomachs. This bivalve has an incredible capacity for
filtering and cleaning water. A single oyster filters between 20 and
50 gallons of seawater through its gills in a single day. All the
water in New York harbor was filtered in a matter of days by the
original oyster population. So, while supporting the local economy,
worldwide demand for oysters also eventually contributed to the
burgeoning society and its resultant pollution. The sewage, garbage,
and factory toxins dumped into the rivers destroyed the fishing
industry and almost destroyed the rivers and surrounding sea. In the
20th century, man began to take positive action against this
pollution and today there is hope that someday - probably not in the
near future, but someday - oysters may again thrive in New York
harbor.

The more than two dozen historical oyster
recipes in the book include the stories of the famous restaurants
Delmonico's, Waldorf-Astoria and the Astor House, and the way oysters
appeared on their menus. Personalities, such as Diamond Jim Brady,
Lillian Russell and J. Pierpont Morgan are described as is their
consumption of enormous quantities of oysters.

In the words of Kurlansky "The history of
New York oysters is a history of New York itself - its wealth, its
strength, its excitement, its greed, its thoughtlessness, its
destructiveness, its blindness and, as any New Yorker will tell you,
its filth."

This history of the trashing of New York,
the killing of its great estuary, is a sobering yet fascinating read,
published by Ballantine Books of New York in 2006.

Fran Jenkins is a certified culinary
professional with the International Association of Culinary
Professionals. She is a cooking teacher and served on the IACP
cookbook awards committee for two years.

Arts Line

Applegate show opens at PSAC
gallery Aug. 31

By Linda Strathdee

PREVIEW Columnist

The Pierre Mion and his students show
continues through Aug. 29 at the Pagosa Springs Arts Council Gallery
at Town Park.

Mion's illustrative works have been
exhibited world wide and are included in the NASA Fine Arts and the
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collections. His students'
works reflect the joy and excitement of watercolor.

The gallery is located at 315 Hermosa St.
and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Plan to stop
by and support your neighbors in Pagosa.

For more information, contact PSAC at
264-5020 or www.pagosa-arts.com.

Pagosa Portraits: Ego and Alter
Ego

In September we look forward to an exhibit
by local artist Sandy Applegate.

Sandy is well known in the area for her
whimsical, semi-abstract and sometimes realistic works. This show,
Ego and Alter Ego, explores portraits of people and animals.

Some of the works in the series will depict
the outward appearance, "ego." Others will represent "funky" things,
the "alter ego."

The opening reception for this provocative
exhibit is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 at the PSAC
gallery. Circle the date on your calendar and come see some of your
friends in "pictures."

PSAC seeks new members

Started in 1988, The Pagosa Springs Arts
Council, a non-profit organization, was conceived and developed to,
in part, promote the awareness of the vast array of local artistic
talent; provide educational and cultural activities in the community;
sponsor exhibit and workshops by local and regional artists; and
encourage and support continued appreciation and preservation of the
aesthetic beauty of Pagosa Springs.

If becoming involved with such a dynamic
organization excites you, we hope you will consider becoming a
member.

If you have questions or would like more
information on joining, call the PSAC office, 264-5020.

2007 calendars

This is the second edition in the ongoing
calendar project. The calendar features works from local artists
Claire Goldrick, Betty Slade, Jan Brookshier, Art Franz, Diana Baird,
Al Olson, Jeff Laydon, David Hunter, Barbara Rosner, Jeanine Malaney
and Emily Tholberg.

Calendars are available at the gallery for
$9.95 plus tax for nonmembers and $8.95 plus tax for PSAC members.
Calendars are also available at Moonlight Books, Lantern Dancer, the
Chamber of Commerce, Pagosa Photography and other area
businesses.

Drawing with Randall Davis

PSAC is proud to offer a new one-day drawing
workshop with local artist Randall Davis.

This class will be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 26, at the community center.

The workshop will include a review of basic
drawing techniques; students will leave with a completed drawing.
This session is appropriate for beginners as well as advanced
students. Randall works well with students of all levels providing a
great deal of individual assistance.

If you have never attended one of his
classes, it's a treat to see what you can produce in a day under his
guidance.

Supplies needed for this class include a
sketch pad (preferably 11x14), assorted drawing pencils, including a
3H or 4H, a No. 2, and a 3B or 4B, eraser, ruler, pencil sharpener
and folding chair to take outside for drawing buildings in the
downtown area. Plan to bring a bag lunch.

Joye Moon watercolor workshop

PSAC will sponsor a watercolor workshop 9:30
a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Sept. 5-8. Cost for the workshop is $250 for PSAC
members and $275 for nonmembers.

The workshop will explore new methods and
techniques in watercolor painting. The four projects are totally new
for the PSAC, so if you have taken one of Joye's workshops in the
past, you will be getting different projects and methods. Call PSAC
at 264-5020 for advanced registration. For more information, visit
www.pagosa-arts.com, or call PSAC.

In conjunction with Moon's workshop we will
be fortunate to have some of her works on display in the community
center's Arts and Crafts Room. Joye's work unleashes the power of
watercolors; it is bold and intense. Please plan to stop by and see
some of Joye's work - Sept. 5-8. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Watercolor with Mion

Internationally-known artist and illustrator
Pierre Mion will teach his fall watercolor workshop, the Lake Powell
Class, beginning Monday, Oct. 9, and continuing Oct. 10-11 from 9
a.m.-4 p.m. Classes will be held at the Arts and Crafts Room in the
Pagosa Springs Community Center. Students can opt for a fourth day,
Thursday, Oct. 12.

The price of this three-day workshop is $240
for PSAC members and $265 for nonmembers. (The extra $25 will
automatically give you a one-year PSAC membership.) The optional
fourth day on Thursday is available for $60.00 per person, minimum
four students. The main workshop is limited to 10 students, so sign
up for this fun-filled session right away by calling PSAC at
264-5020. For further workshop and supplies information, call Mion at
731-9781 or visit www.pagosa-arts.com.

Watercolor club

The PSAC Watercolor Club, (formed in the
winter of 2003) has changed its meeting day to the third Thursday of
each month.

The club now meets at 10 a.m. in the Arts
and Craft Space at the community center. Watercolorists of all levels
are provided the opportunity to use the room for the day. Attending
members contribute $5 for use of the space.

The goals for the day vary, with
watercolorists getting together to draw, paint and experience
technique demonstrations from professional watercolorists or framers.
Participants are encouraged to bring still lives or photos to paint
and draw, or a project to complete. Attendees should bring a bag
lunch, their supplies, and be willing to have a fun creative day! New
participants are always welcome.

For more information, contact PSAC at
264-5020.

PSAC calendar

All PSAC classes and workshops are held in
the Arts and Craft Space at the community center, unless otherwise
noted. All exhibits are shown at the PSAC Gallery at Town Park,
unless otherwise noted. For more information, contact PSAC at
264-5020

August - Summer Camp for Children, Spanish
and art.

Through Aug. 29 - PSAC Pierre Mion and
Students Watercolor Exhibit and Sale.

Arts Line is a communication vehicle of the
Pagosa Springs Arts Council, courtesy of the Pagosa Sun. For
inclusion in Arts Line, send information to PSAC e-mail
(psac@centurytel.net). In the subject area of your e-mail, please
write "Arts Line." Your attachment should be in a Microsoft Word file
document format. Images should be limited to 2 (300dpi, 5x7 inches in
size) and sent as a separate (individual attachments) e-mail. You can
also mail a CD of images and information to PSAC, P.O. Box 533,
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147. Deadline is at least two weeks prior to
event. We would love to hear from you regarding suggestions for Arts
Line. Events in surrounding areas will be included when deemed of
interest to our readers.

Tasting
Notes

Terrine and pinot, the
breakfast of champions

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

While there are many things I appreciate about Pagosa Springs and
rural Colorado, big cities, such as Albuquerque, have a certain
allure and their advantages - like friends who own restaurants. And
by southwestern Colorado standards, Albuquerque is a teeming
megalopolis, but in the grand scheme of things, it is a big small
town, not a culinary Mecca, however there is good dining to be had -
if you know where to look. And Friday morning had me looking hard.

I left Pagosa Springs Thursday night about 8 p.m., and braced
myself for the four-hour drive with a thermos of stout coffee. By
quarter after midnight I was back in my old digs, and by half past, I
had peeled off my clothes and toppled into bed. Visions of road kill
elk and darting jackrabbits on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation
bounced around inside my skull until the wee hours of the morning. By
6 a.m., I was up again, and driving into the city, sans coffee, for
an appointment at the Toyota dealer - time for a new timing belt.

As I sat on the leather couch in the service department's waiting
area, I wallowed in self-pity. I lacked coffee, hadn't shaved,
showered or eaten a decent meal, aside from a bag of barbecue Corn
Nuts, for nearly 36 hours, and felt like crap. I passed out on the
couch with my cap pulled low over my eyes and a fresh copy of The
Pagosa Springs SUN splayed wide over my chest.

I awoke nearly three hours later to someone nudging my leg with
their foot.

"James," the voice whispered.

"James, wake up."

It was my friend M.P.

She stood over me, peering down like a scientist examining some
rare form of bacteria through a microscope, appearing both pleased,
but somewhat puzzled with their discovery.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Sleeping, until you woke me up. Where were you? You were supposed
to be here hours ago."

She had promised to take me to breakfast and to be my chauffeur
until my truck was finished.

"I went to the wrong dealership, the one on the north end of town.
I've spent most of the morning looking for you."

As a peace offering, she handed me a thick, homemade slice of
tarte aux pommes and a cup of piping hot Argentine espresso from a
stash I'd cached with her in Albuquerque for just such emergencies.
My morning began to improve.

After wolfing down the tarte, we walked to her car and pondered
breakfast. She hadn't eaten at all, and for me, the tarte was just an
appetizer and I was ready for the main event. As is typical when we
are together in the Duke City, we began to argue about where to eat.
The city is full of mediocre, and truly horrible restaurants, and
it's not that we argue about where to go, its that we agree the
choices are incredibly limited, and in the end, were not really
fighting each other, were just complaining about the dearth of fine
places to eat.

As we grumbled and complained, the car, functioning as though on
autopilot, meandered toward Christiene's restaurant, and came to a
stop in the parking lot. We were like a couple of homing pigeons, and
even in the heat of battle, our unconscious minds had propelled us to
one of the city's few temples of guaranteed, gastronomic euphoria.
The problem was, Christiene, by all appearances, was closed. However,
it pays to have friends who own restaurants, and when one is well
connected, a "Closed" sign is a mere formality and we were cordially
ushered in. And granted, although the chefs, Patric and André,
two Frenchmen schooled in the classic, old-school European culinary
arts, weren't quite ready to serve, coffee was on, bread was in the
oven and service was just minutes away. We could wait.

In a matter of minutes, one of the servers took us to a table, and
we sat down to peruse the menu. We barely had them open when
André darted out from the kitchen, and with a look of childish
glee, announced in French that Patric had made a terrine de canard
that was not to be missed. This is not to say I am fluent in the
language, but I know terrine de canard when I hear it, and by
André's body language, Patric had gone the extra mile. Deal
done, and I planned a breakfast that could not have been had anywhere
but in a big city.

First, I would start with a glass of Muscadet,
Sèvre-et-Maine, mis en bouteille sur lie, of course, and I
didn't even bother to look at the vintner nor vintage. Muscadet is a
wine geek's mouthwash and I mean that in the best sense of the word.
What better way to start the day than with a crisp, bright, slightly
effervescent white wine from near the city of Nantes where the Loire
River spills into the Atlantic? I dreamed of fresh flounder, mussels,
or sole, but lacking those options, I paired the Muscadet with snow
crab cakes and a mesclun salad with lemon juice, a touch of sea salt
and a simple vinaigrette on the side. For the main, terrine de
canard, the breakfast of champions.

When the crab cakes arrived, we plowed through them with ravenous
fervor, gobbled the salad, and devoured hunks of fresh, hot bread
slathered with butter. After making quick work of the crab cakes, our
server returned after a short respite with a simple, but perfectly
presented and aromatic terrine de canard. We eyed the quarter inch
layer of gelatin surrounding the beautifully marbled terrine. We
examined and commented on the texture. It appeared perfect, somewhere
between the velvety smoothness of a mousse, and somewhat less coarse
than a more rustic, pâté de campagne. We dove in.

Terrines are cooked in a brick-shaped loaf pan of the same name,
and can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature. The main
ingredient determines the name of the terrine, and the dish can be
made with vegetables, seafood, or more exotic proteins such as wild
boar and rabbit. In this case, duck was the principal ingredient,
hence, terrine de canard, and Patric chose to serve his warm, but not
hot. And although some terrines are prepared for serving directly on
the plate, like the primary protein in any dinner entrée,
others are intended for consumption on slices of bread like a
paté. Patric's terrine de canard fell into the latter
category, and out came more slices of bread. We ordered a second
serving.

Sometime during our gluttonous fervor, I lost track of my wine
glass, and halfway through the first portion I realized I was in dire
need of something red to cut through the layers of rich, smoky duck
liver - pinot noir would be just the thing.

My addiction to pinot noir began years ago, and since that time,
she has been a demanding and cruel mistress. There are times when her
velvety texture and sumptuous earthiness have driven me to heights of
euphoria approaching religious exaltation, and we have spent those
nights, transfixed and intertwined like lovers. And then there are
the bad nights, the nights she slaps you around, empties your wallet,
and leaves you cold, bewildered and wanting on the sidewalk. And
those are the nights you swear you'll never go back, but in the end
you buckle, you give in, and you crave more. I have driven hundreds
of miles on a hunch in pursuit of the juice from this noble grape of
Bourgogne, and I have spent far more money than a man of my means
ought to spend for something as inconsequential as a bottle of wine.
But no matter the cost, no matter the circumstance, each time, the
trick is different, and the obsession grows and the craving for pinot
noir consumes like a cancer.

I was on dangerous, shaky ground, but luckily, the options by the
glass were limited to just one, and I took what was being poured -
some brand of low-end juice out of California - and hoped for the
best. Perhaps it was the company, perhaps it was the terrine, perhaps
it was the pinot, but whatever the case, the California juice went
down fine, and I vowed to attempt to replicate the experience when I
returned to Pagosa Springs.

I knew I would be hard pressed to find a stellar terrine de
canard, so I opted for a store-bought duck pâté that
would serve as an acceptable surrogate. On the other hand, I knew my
options for average, domestic pinot would be numerous, but I hoped I
could find at least one reliable option that wouldn't break the bank
when the craving for pinot noir became unbearable.

The wines

Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2005 Reserve
Selection: In the nose, the Hayman & Hill greets the taster with
vanilla, toasted oak, root beer and unusual amounts of heat for a
wine of just 13.5 percent alcohol. In the glass and around the edges,
the wine is thin and wispy with a bright cranberry colored core.
Although the wine demonstrates a color shift from core to edge, which
is not altogether unusual, the color is uneven, wanders, and the wine
looks unusually weary for its youth - it lacks uniformity and
clarity. By the color, the wine appears lost and this observation
holds true on the palate. In the mouth, the Hayman & Hill is a
clumsy mélange of flavors, with blackberries, subtle earth
notes and overriding hints of bubble gum. Although the flavors are
odd, the wine has good acidity and if you're into blackberry bubble
gum, is well balanced. It may show better with food.

Estancia Pinot Noir Pinnacles Ranches Monterey 2005: By
appearances, the Estancia is dense and compact with an electric,
razor sharp clarity from core to edge. The color is dynamic, even and
lively, and foreshadows a wine packed with red fruits, including
raspberries and cranberries with undertones of black cherries and
hints of pepper. The nose is well defined and leads the taster to a
slightly more astringent and tightly woven structure and mouthfeel.
With Estancia's fruit-driven style, it is clear this is not Burgundy.
Nevertheless, the Estancia makes for an enjoyable quaff and for the
money, boasts a tremendous finish. At two dollars more than the
Hayman & Hill, make the investment and enjoy it alone, or, pair
it with grilled rack of lamb, new potatoes seasoned with rosemary and
tomatoes Provençal.

And if anyone is making terrine de canard, give me a call, I'll
bring the wine.

Food for
Thought

Harl and Karl, meatballs in The
Twilight Zone

By Karl Isberg

Karl Isberg, mild-mannered and affable small town newspaper
editor, is in his vehicle, westbound on the highway out of the big
city, heading home to Siberia With a View . It is a beautiful summer
day; nothing out of the ordinary.

Or, so it seems.

He's listening to a conservative radio talk show, the host saying
the same simpleminded thing over and over, providing a brain-numbing
mantra to those inclined to be affected by sophomoric, manly speech.
Karl begins to fall asleep and, thus, turns to the "progressive"
channel. No real difference: name-calling, stultifying and arbitrary
chatter. Good to know, he thinks, that all extremists are essentially
the same, that the edges of the political landscape are everywhere
shallowly rooted in dense ground. Perhaps they'll all blow away some
day, he thinks.

All seems well. Karl has had a good breakfast, he has a few
dollars in the checking account (as far as he knows), and he has a
bottle of water (cleansed by the miracle of reverse osmosis) riding
in the cup holder on the dash.

He turns the radio channel to an oldies station (he is an oldie,
after all) and he's humming along with one of his favorite Herman and
the Hermits hits.

Little does he know, he is about to drive into The Twilight Zone.

Cue the weird theme song.

Doo dee doo-doo, doo dee doo-doo, doo dee doo-doo.

As he motors up a steep hill something goes suddenly wrong with
Karl's vehicle. One moment, Karl is traveling along at the speed
limit (or a touch above) - the next moment, the engine sputters, the
vehicle loses power. Karl gears down, searching for compression. It
doesn't work.

At first, Karl thinks it's him - that he is having another one of
those irritating ischemic events. It'll pass, he thinks. It's
probably a reaction to that Herman and the Hermits tune. Thank
goodness it wasn't Jimi Hendrix ... I'd be in the ICU.

But, no, it's the vehicle. As the vehicle loses momentum, Karl
steers to the right lane and spots an intersection. He turns and
coasts to the frontage road, swerving to the shoulder before the
engine dies.

He springs into action and goes through his mechanical problem
checklist.

Let's see, the gas gauge registers full. So, that can't be it.

He gets out of the vehicle, walks around it and checks the tires.
Nothing flat, so that can't be it.

These are the only items on his mechanical problem checklist.
Everything else about autos and engines is a mystery to him.

He turns the key. The starter makes its best effort, but the
engine remains dead.

He scans the mountainsides for signs of odd electric transmission
towers, remembering that many years ago his cousin, Roger, attempted
to build a facility nearby to test the more farfetched theories of
Nicolai Tesla.

Nothing.

He holds his breath and clears his mind of internal dialogue,
attempting to detect the oh-so-subtle hum that accompanies alien
thought-projection. Aliens have been known to stop vehicles dead in
their tracks and abduct the occupants in order to perform insidious
and degrading probes.

Nope. No hum detectable.

Karl locates his cell phone on the front seat, beneath a stack of
old Art in America magazines. After a few minutes time, during which
he figures out how to turn the phone on, he calls his wife, Kathy,
who is driving somewhere behind him on the highway.

"The darned thing is stone-cold dead," he says. "I've determined
it isn't an empty gas tank, flat tires, or a gigantic Tesla coil and
accompanying balls of electricity. I'm pretty sure it isn't a mini
stroke and there's no subtle hum, so it's not an alien invasion. I'm
pretty much at my wit's end with this thing."

"Oh, please, don't tempt me with the wit's end thing; that's just
too easy a target. Have you called triple A?"

"Huh?"

"Triple A. We pay them money every year so, if the car breaks
down, they can tow it to someone who can fix it. You know, someone
who looks for things that are wrong with it Š besides aliens and
balls of electricity shooting through the air."

Karl calls the company. This call may be recorded for training
purposes. My name is Brian; how may I help you? A tow truck will be
dispatched. The nearest approved mechanic is 40 miles away. Who knows
when the tow truck will arrive. Have a nice day, sir.

So, our intrepid traveler waits, standing beside a powerless
vehicle on the shoulder of a dirt frontage road high in the Colorado
mountains. And a storm is fast approaching, rolling over distant
peaks and rushing eastward.

Kathy arrives and dashes off to a nearby primitive shopette. She
returns with a meatball sandwich, and advice from the proprietor.

"He says the best mechanic in these parts is just up this road.
Said you'll know where he is, cause his place looks like a junkyard.
Said he's been here a long time. Maybe too long. If you want some of
my meatball sandwich, you'll go fetch him. She said his name is
Harl."

He finds the location easily; junk cars litter a large expanse in
front of a beat-up and metal building. In fact, cars are stacked atop
cars. Rusted machinery is crammed between the car bodies. The door to
the metal building is half open, like the maw of the Beastmaster's
guard dog. The "garage" is stacked floor to ceiling with parts of
machines, boxes of leaking who-knows-what. There is a narrow path
leading back through the mountains of debris, into the darkness.
Feral cats scatter as Karl calls out: "Anybody here? Hallo. Anybody?"

He hears a radio playing in the distance. He follows the sound,
groping his way past walls of slippery clutter. He finds a door,
looks in and sees Š

More floor-to-ceiling debris - this time old mainframe computers
stacked one on top of the other, many with amber and red lights
flashing. And he sees an arm.

The dirtiest arm he's ever seen.

"Anybody here," he calls.

"Just writin' some code. C'mon in. Gotta concentrate."

Karl wedges himself past a stack of computer parts and peers
around the corner. There, sitting on an old car seat with four
scraggly cats, clutching a Big Gulp cup caked with grime, a filthy
computer keyboard on his lap, is Harl.

Harl has long greasy gray hair falling from the sides of a
major-league bald spot. He wears eyeglasses with 1970 frames held
together with duct tape, one lens shattered and repaired with
yellowed epoxy, and a T-shirt and a pair of jeans so dirty they could
stand up by themselves. He is missing his front teeth and there is a
cigarette jammed through the space where teeth (presumably) once
were.

"Just finishin' up this here library. Look at that Compac there,
will yuh? I love that Microsoft: they make everything obsolete so
fast your head swims. Companies paid forty thousand for those Compacs
and I can get them for fifteen bucks. Heh, heh. Finish this newest
code, I can break into darned near anything. Whatcha need?"

Karl explains his predicament. The smell of oil and gasoline
worries him. Particularly when Harl tosses a cigarette butt between
the stacks of computers.

"Oh yeah, yeah," says Harl. "The 1500. Most folks think it's an S
series. Couldn't be more wrong, Really the T series, but that's
somethin' they don't want everyone to know. Fuel injection, you know?
The Russkies wanted the secret to fuel injection and Chevy found a
way to hide it from the Reds. As simple as a T instead of an S.
Brilliant, downright brilliant. I'll grab a couple tools and we'll
have a look at it. You like cats, do yuh?"

Karl and Harl waddle down the road. Kathy sees them coming and
beats a hasty retreat to her car. Karl hears the door locks engage.
She waves and takes a bite of meatball sandwich.

Harl is under the car. "Can't hear the pump. There's a relay that
primes it before ignition. Personally, I think it was a bum relay
that blew up Challenger and that teacher. And it wasn't there by
accident, if you know what I mean. A bum relay don't just happen;
homeschoolers put it there."

Harl is stretched out across the engine of the vehicle, a gruesome
divide widening between the bottom of his T-shirt and the top of his
pants. He has attached a device to a spark plug. "I can see a yellow
spark. Funny thing, that yellow spark. Should be blue. You know, the
favorite color of time travelers is yellow. Reminds them of the
wormhole. Insane people like yellow a whole lot, too. This T-shirt
used to be yellow. Did you hear that? Sounded like titanium plates
banging together, didn't it? Somewhere off to the west, up the hill.
Here 'em everyday, like clockwork. Makes you think."

Harl has his head stuck inside the engine compartment, wedging it
between the side of the truck and the motor. "OK, try to crank this
baby up. If my hair gets caught in the fan, I'll yell and you turn it
off. Did you say you liked cats?"

Harl finally diagnoses the problem. "Fuel pump. You're flat out of
luck." A radio transmission comes out of nowhere. "Darned if they
don't have an ambulance call all the way up on the pass. Got my
scanner here in my pocket. Told me they don't need me anymore. But,
the day will come. Oh, yes, the day will come. Most people don't take
these terrorists seriously, but I do. Yes, I do. I'm ready. Can't get
a part until Monday at the earliest. Even then, bet you got a full
tank of gas, don't you? Geez, I hate full tanks of gas when the fuel
pump is in the tank. Those things can explode, you know? Had a bunch
of 'em go up on me over the years. Barely got away with my life. Lost
a couple mighty fine cats."

Harl looks across the road, at Kathy, as she sits in her car,
doors locked, wolfing down the last of the meatball sandwich.

"My, oh my. That is mighty fine."

"Beg your pardon?"

"That is some fine stuff over there in that car."

"Harl, I don't think that's Š"

"Nope, nuthin' finer than one of them meatball sandwiches. Have
one nearly every day, when I can get away from the keyboard, Been
writin' code, you know."

The tow truck finally arrives.

"Well, Harl, since the truck is here," says Karl. " I suppose I'll
just go ahead and have him take my vehicle to the triple A-referred
garage. You know those companies. They're mighty particular about who
they do business with."

"Well, hell, if that's what you want. You could stay here for a
night or two, wait until I get a part and fix 'er up. I got room.
But, if you want to take it to some big, corporate-backed
conglomerate, multinational place well, I suppose you get what you
pay for. They killed Kennedy, you know. Wouldn't blink before they
kill you. Did I ask if you like cats?"

Forty miles back to the city. Then, forty miles, packed into
Kathy's car, back toward Siberia With a View, hours behind schedule.

"What did you say. I can't make out what you're saying. Can you
hear that hum? The sound is deafening."

Next trip through, thinks Karl, just in case, I'm toting a supply
of meatball sandwiches.

Easy business, and they'll be made with healthy turkey, in case
Harl is prone to gout.

To a pound of 85/15 turkey is added salt, pepper, some day-old
bread crumbs softened in milk and squeezed nearly dry, oregano,
basil, mashed garlic, chopped parsley, finely minced white onion, a
beaten egg and a batch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The
ingredients are combined and left to sit for a couple hours in the
fridge, so the flavors meld.

The meat is taken from the bowl with an ice cream scoop and each
wad is shaped by hand into a ball. The balls are browned in olive oil
over medium high heat, then removed from the pan. Some finely chopped
white onion and sliced garlic is added to the pan and cooked until
soft. The pan is deglazed with a bit of chicken broth and the broth
is reduced. In goes some tomato sauce and a glob of tomato paste. The
tomato is cooked until sweet and reduced. In goes salt, pepper to
taste, oregano, basil, a bit of thyme and the meatballs go back in
the pan to simmer for a while, covered, over medium low heat.

Meanwhile, a large hunk of Italian or French bread is cut into a
serving-size lengths, halved and the halves are toasted. On to the
bread go slices of high-grade provolone. Meatballs are taken from the
sauce, sliced, put on top of the cheese. On goes a slick of sauce
from the pan, perhaps a drizzle of olive oil, some fresh basil, a
sprinkling of grated Parmesan. The baby is closed and it is ready.

I'll pack the sandwiches in a cooler and take it with me next time
I drive past that intersection, thinks Karl. Just in case. And put
the cooler right next to my tin foil hat.

If I gotta go to The Twilight Zone again, I am going prepared.

Doo dee doo-doo, do dee doo-doo, doo dee doo-doo.

Extension Viewpoints

Mind your mushrooms, there's a
lot to lose

By Bill Nobles

There are 2,000 or more kinds of wild
mushrooms throughout the United States. Some are poisonous and some
are edible and delicious when properly prepared. The edibility of the
majority is either not known or they are not considered for food
because of their small size or poor flavor or texture.

Even though not every one is interested in
collecting mushrooms to eat, it is important to understand most have
an important and beneficial role in the environment. They grow in a
wide variety of habitats. Most of the mushrooms seen on a walk
through a woods are beneficial. Many species are quite specific about
their food source and will be found only under or near certain kinds
of trees-some under pines, others under oak, etc. Some are important
as decay organisms, aiding in the breakdown of logs, leaves, stems
and other organic debris. This important role of mushrooms results in
recycling of essential nutrients. Some mushrooms grow in, and form
their fruiting structures on living trees causing decay of the
sapwood or of the heartwood. Many woodland mushrooms are essential to
good growth, and even survival of trees. They establish a
relationship with roots of living trees that is mutually beneficial.
These are called mycorrhizal mushrooms.

All mushrooms, whether poisonous or edible
can be admired for their beauty and the fantastic variety of form,
color and texture. Which Mushrooms are Safe to Eat?

Some edible mushrooms are very similar in
appearance to poisonous kinds and may grow in the same habitat.
Edible mushrooms are known to be safe to eat because they have been
eaten frequently with no ill effects.

Poisonous mushrooms are known because
someone ate them and became ill or died. There is no test or
characteristic to distinguish edible from poisonous mushrooms.

This indicates a need to identify with
certainty one of several of the proven edible species and pick and
eat only those positively identified. At the same time, you should
also learn to identify some of the common poisonous mushrooms,
especially those that are similar to edible kinds. It is especially
important to learn the characteristics of mushrooms which you are
going to eat because several of the species are poisonous, a few
causing serious illness and sometimes death.

The word "toadstool" is often used to
indicate a poisonous mushroom. Since there is no way to distinguish
between a so-called "toadstool" and an edible mushroom it is more
precise to speak of poisonous mushrooms or edible mushrooms.

The season for collecting wild mushrooms
usually begins after continuous rains in the upper elevations when
the first morel, Shaggy mane, Giant Puffballs and/or sponge mushrooms
are found. From mid summer to late autumn, a great variety of
mushrooms may be found in Colorado. A number of these are choice
edibles. Make sure you know what you are picking and eating?

Edible versus poisonous

True or false?

1. Poisonous mushrooms tarnish a silver
spoon. False

2. If it peels, you can eat it. False

3. All mushrooms growing on wood are edible.
False

4. Mushrooms that squirrels or other animals
eat are safe for humans. False

5. All mushrooms in meadows and pastures are
safe to eat. False

6. All white mushrooms are safe.
False

7. Poisonous mushrooms can be detoxified by
parboiling, drying or pickling. False

Collecting wild mushrooms

Be sure of your identification-eat only
kinds known to be edible.

- Do not eat mushrooms raw.

- Eat only mushrooms in good
condition.

- Eat only one kind at a time and do not eat
large amounts. Eat only a small amount the first time; even morels,
generally considered to be excellent, may cause illness in some
persons.

- Don't experiment. There is an old saying,
"There are old mushroom hunters, and bold mushroom hunters, but there
are no old, bold mushroom hunters." Obtain a copy of one or more
books or publications on mushrooms.

Sources of information

"Field Guide to Mushrooms of North America,"
by Kent and Vera McKnight. 429 pages and 48 plates. (A Peterson
guide) Houghton Mifflin Co. 500 species described and illustrated in
color. Another 500 discussed.

"Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Mushrooms," by Gary Lincoff. Alfred A. Knopf. 926 pages, 756
color photographs with descriptions of all species.

"The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide," by A.
H. Smith and Nancy Weber. Univ. of Mich Press. 316 pages and 282
color photographs. The authors of the above guides are professional
mycologists. These guides are often available in local bookstores or
in public libraries.

Pagosa Lakes News

Broaden your culinary horizons
at Thai cooking class

By Ming Steen

SUN Columnist

Food is the integral part of the experience
in Thailand.

In Bankok, it seems you're never more than
30 feet from food and the opportunity to eat it. Streets and alleys
are lined with makeshift stalls and well-worn carts that proffer hot
and cold dishes assembled on the spot, usually by a sole
entrepreneur.

As decor goes, there isn't much at some of
the restaurants either. Not unless your idea of atmosphere includes
dining under fluorescent lights while ceiling-mounted televisions
blast Thai soap operas. On the walls, enormous vintage posters of the
Marlboro Man on horseback count as art.

The show behind the food counters, on the
other hand, is wildly entertaining. Cheerful and energetic staffers
man individual booths that each sell a handful of specialties. In
one, a young woman takes about 20 seconds to produce a crunchy,
mouth-puckering green papaya salad by casually tossing the fruit,
minced chilies, sprouts, crab, peanuts and fish sauce with a pinch of
sugar in a big bowl while chatting with customers.

An offer at the soup counter is a steaming
bowl of shrimp, chicken and vegetables in a coconut broth with a
spritz of hot sauce and raw onions.

And at a third station, a cook theatrically
juggles a deep frying pan over full flames, scrambling an egg while
throwing in handfuls of noodles, dried shrimp, pork, spring onions,
bean sprouts and some sugar and spices. The pad Thai is ready in
minutes.

Hungry? You're in luck. If you enjoy Thai
cuisine, why not go to the source? Okay, maybe not so easily done.
But how about taking a Thai cooking lesson from Pao Tallman on
Saturday, Sept. 16, from 1-4 p.m.? Pao will share the secrets of her
homeland cuisine with you. She trained and taught culinary students
in Thailand, and has authored for Thai cookbooks. For answers to your
questions, call 264-9348.

Signs stolen

The landscaping surrounding the entry to the
recreation center has looked so good this spring and all summer. I
wish to give our constant gardener, Dave Kenyon, a huge pat on the
back. I always want to thank parents who have cooperated with staff
to keep their children out of the flower beds.

Sadly though, we lost the nicely crafted
signs telling humans to stay out of the flowers. These are wooden,
flower-shaped signs in bright colors. We have searched the grounds
for them lest someone has decided to do some redecorating. Not to be
found. If you should see them as part of your neighbor's yard-art
collection or your babysitter's bedroom decor, please encourage them
to return the signs. We miss them.

There will be a recreation center committee
meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at the recreation center. The public
is invited to attend.

Obituaries

Aliya Violet Lucero

In loving memory of our daughter, Aliya Violet Lucero. She was
born on August 15, 2006. Survived by her parents, Rich T. Lucero and
Lorrena R. Martinez; grandparents, Violet (Mariano), Marlene, Henry
(Melanie) and Hector; aunts, Holly, Tina and Debbie; uncles, Jason
and Dale; cousins, Jayce and Dominic. Also survived by numerous
loving family and friends.

A memorial service will take place Saturday, 10 a.m., at Olinger
Hampden, 8600 E. Hampden Ave., Denver.

Terry Dee Windnagel

Terry began this life May 24, 1947, in Longmont, Colorado, as the
son of Emma and Donald Windnagel and brother to Peggy and Tom.

Terry joined the United States Navy in 1968. He served with the
Seawolf Helicopter Attack Squadron-Three in Southeast Asia until
November 18, 1970. During his tour of duty in Vietnam, Terry flew
over 400 combat missions, earning many personal ribbons and medals
and combat unit citations. On November 14, 2003, Terry was formally
inducted into the Navy Enlisted Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor during a
ceremony aboard the USS Yorktown located at Patriots Point Naval and
Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. This induction is
one of the highest honors bestowed on aircrew enlisted men who flew
with distinction. Terry joined a select group of only 800 fellow
patriots from World War II to the Vietnam War. Terry served with
pride and respect, but also with a great sense of sadness for the
loss of life.

After returning from Vietnam, Terry spent his time backpacking,
snowshoeing, bow-hunting and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. He met
his wife, Susan, while snowshoeing near Mosquito Pass and they
married in 1977. They continued a life outdoors and lived in Pagosa
Springs for 20 years, during which time Terry volunteered as an EMT
and firefighter. He also served as a member of the board of directors
for the Pagosa Fire Protection District. He owned the Farmers
Insurance Agency in Pagosa and always said that, "every customer was
a friend that he liked well enough to invite to dinner." Terry
enjoyed a special friendship and kinship with his mother- and
father-in-law, Dick and Betty Hillyer, who also resided in Pagosa. In
1989, Terry and Susan celebrated the birth of son, Corey, an event
that was and still is the highlight of their lives. Terry attended
every one of Corey's soccer games regardless of rain, sun, sleet or
snow and shared in both victories and defeats. He loved being a part
of Corey's life.

After learning that Terry had esophageal cancer, he retired and
wanted to move north. Spending several months traveling, the family
fell in love with the mountains and oceans of the Pacific Northwest.
Selling everything and relocating to the Glacier, Washington area was
another adventure in Terry's life. The Hillyers also relocated to the
Birch Bay area at the same time. Terry quickly made friends in the
area and was instrumental in providing a new home for his family.

Terry is survived and missed by his wife, son and in-laws; mother
Emma Windnagel; sister Peggy Schwartzkopf; brother and wife Tom and
Linda Windnagel; uncle and wife Ron and Chris Kingham; uncle Lee and
Monie Kingham; aunt Georgia Benson; brother-in-law and wife Brian and
Dottie Hillyer; and several cousins and nieces. He also leaves behind
many dear friends in Colorado, New Mexico and Washington.

On August 9, 2006, Terry completed this special life's journey to
travel onto the next one, which he believed would be just as
fascinating. Per his request, there will not be a formal memorial
service; please remember his life at a family and friend picnic. In
lieu of flowers please donate, in Terry's name, to the Pagosa Fire
Protection District, Whatcom County Hospice, The American Cancer
Society, or the Jacob Finkbonner Fund. Terry's final wish was that
everyone "Celebrate Life."

Regester Memorial

Memorial services for Charles "Chase" Lawrence Regester III will
be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, at the Archuleta County
Fairgrounds.

A Rosary is scheduled for 4 p.m., Friday, Aug. 25, at Immaculate
Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Pagosa Springs. The family meal will
be held following the Rosary, in Chromo.

A benefit spaghetti dinner for Chase, Mike Maestas and Travis
Stahr, hosted by the Knights of Columbus, will take place 4-8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Parish Hall at 451 Lewis St., following the
memorial service.

Business
News

Chamber News

So many events, so little time

Get out your running shoes, golf shoes,
dress shoes, or boots and head out to one of the many events that
will be held this weekend. How is one to accomplish it all? The
events going on this weekend are all for such great causes, it's hard
to choose, so try and get to all of them.

The wine and beer will flow and the hors
d'oeuvres will be heavy as the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs hosts
its 12th annual Auction for the Animals 5:30 p.m. Friday at the
community center. Staff and volunteers will have worked hard to
transform the community center's multipurpose room into a showroom
for collectibles, art work, furniture, pet gifts, and much more.
There is something for everyone and the evening is packed with silent
and live auctions.

At this time, there are about 13-15 live
auction items and hundreds of silent auction items on line. The
evening is always entertaining and with Farrago's providing the food
this year, you know you will get some tasty morsels to sustain you as
you bid.

Tickets are still available at the Chamber
of Commerce, the Humane Society Thrift Store, Moonlight Books and
WolfTracks for $25 for the wine and beer tickets and $17 for a
regular admission ticket. Ticket prices are more at the door, so save
yourself some money and spend it at the auction. Don't miss this
opportunity for some pre-holiday gift giving ideas as well as
collectibles for yourself.

For more information, call the Humane
Society office at 264-5549.

United Way golf tourney

Start your Saturday morning off early by
attending one of Pagosa's great community golf tournaments. The
United Way Golf Tourney starts at 9 a.m. Aug. 26 with a four-person
scramble. There will be prizes, contests, golf giveaways,
golf-related silent auction items, and lunch for the players. Come
out early to get set up, enjoy coffee and donuts, and buy those
mulligans.

The fee to play is $75, which includes green
fees, cart and lunch. If you are a member of the Pagosa Pines Golf
Club, the entry fee is only $40. Everyone is welcome and if you don't
have a team, no problem, they'll match you with one. Give the club a
call at 731-4755 with questions or to sign up. We'll see all you
golfers on the course.

Calling all cowboys

You could golf in the morning and rope in
the afternoon at the Chase Regester Memorial "Buckle Up" Team Roping
event. Ropers can register around 4 p.m. after the services for this
young resident . This rodeo event is always popular and fun to watch
as men and women test their roping skills against those
all-too-elusive calves. The event will be held at the Red Ryder
arena. For more information, you can contact Diana Talbot at
731-5203.

Mind's Material

Also on Saturday, Aug. 26, there will be an artist's reception at the Shy Rabbit to kickoff the showing of "Mind's Material: Sensation, Cognition & Knowledge," with artists Kelsey Hauck, Karl Isberg and Doug Pedersen. Shy Rabbit is located at 333 Bastille Dr. Units B-1 and B-4 and the reception is from 5-8 p.m. with the gallery regularly open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1 - 4 p.m. and 1-6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month. Mind's Material displays three unique styles of imagery and materials from three creative artists. The human image is key in each of their works. Stop out to see these masterful contemporary works and meet the minds behind the material. If you miss the showing on this day, the exhibit continues until Oct. 7.

Knights' spaghetti dinner

You've been running around all day, so you
certainly don't want to cook dinner!

Let the Knights of Columbus do that for you
and, once again, you'll support a great organization while it helps
the three families of our young adults who were involved in that
fatal accident several weeks ago. A benefit spaghetti dinner to help
out the families of Chase Regester, Mickey Maestas, and Travis Stahr
will be held 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. Enjoy all your events during
the day and then come out for a relaxing evening with good food,
great camaraderie, and awesome community service.

After a very successful Duck Race (there
wasn't a viewing space to be had on Hot Springs Boulevard), the
Knights will turn around and put on another successful event. These
guys just work so hard and do everything first class for this
community. Tickets for the dinner are only $8 for adults and $5 for
children 12 and younger. They may be purchased all over town, and of
course, your Chamber of Commerce has them as well. The dinner will be
held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall on Lewis Street. We
thank this organization for once again thinking of those in need here
in our community.

'I Ought To
Be In Pictures'

This is the last week for Oteka Productions
and the play "I Ought To Be In Pictures". This Neil Simon play is
performed under the stars at 3700 CR 600 (Piedra Road). The show
starts at 7 p.m. and food is available starting at 6 p.m. and
desserts during intermission. Tickets are $18 each ($20 at the door)
and this price includes valet parking. You can purchase advance
tickets at the Plaid Pony or Moonlight Books. Don't miss this last
weekend of wit and humor in classic Neil Simon style. Shows are Aug.
24-26. Despite a few rainy performances, what a delight these
productions have been to our town.

Sky watch at Chimney Rock

And if you can still keep your eyes open by
now, or you haven't found a function that meets your needs, let's try
one more: the sky watch program at Chimney Rock. The gates will open
7-7:30 p.m. and the program begins at 8. You learn about ancient sky
watching as you hike up the mesa top trail to the Great House. There
you can see this marvelous structure and learn about the ancient
people who inhabited this area over 1,000 years ago. As night falls,
you will see how the night sky works and how the ancient people might
have used it. Tickets are $15 and admission is limited to only 40
people. For more information, contact the visitor center at 883-5359.

What a full weekend of activities.

We hope you will be able to make it to some
of the events and support our great organizations as they give back
to our community.

Sidewalk sale

It is hard to believe that the summer has
flown by so quickly. Perhaps because we had so many events this year,
the time seems to have gone by a little faster than usual.

Nevertheless, school will be starting up
soon, the colors will be changing, and with the fall comes our annual
merchant sidewalk sale over the Labor Day holiday. Many of our
downtown and River Center merchants often have sale items available
on the walkways to attract customers, but this weekend merchants from
the far west side of town to the far east side of town will pull out
all the stops and help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of this
sale.

All around the town, merchants are offering
great sales and merchandise to make way for all the new items that
will be coming in for the fall. Many have just returned from market,
so it's time to make way for all the new goodies. Come on out and
support your local merchants by purchasing clothing, gifts,
accessories and items for your home. Don't forget the west side of
town has lots of sidewalks too, including the Pagosa Country Center
and the Silverado Shopping Center. There is plenty of merchandise to
be had from numerous great stores in this part of Pagosa. So, come on
out and enjoy all the sales Friday, Sept. 1, to Monday, Sept. 4, and
Shop Pagosa First. If I know these merchants, they may even start the
weekend a little earlier - like they did last year.

Members

We welcome two new member businesses this
week starting off with Peak Locations and Specialty Services. Jill
Marks-Townley specializes in film locations and scouting services,
not only to Pagosa but to the Four Corners Region. With the Colorado
Film Industry and our own local Chamber always looking for photo
opportunities, Peak Locations will be a great addition to our
membership. You can find out more from Jill at www.peaklocations.com
or call her at 731-2771. You never know what a film company is
looking for, so if you have something unique, let her put it in her
repertoire of filming ideas.

Adding another business to their first one,
we welcome the owners of Jessie's Elves: Mike and Christina LePore
with LePore's Enterprises of Pagosa. LePore's Enterprises offers
accounting, payroll, individual and business tax service and
financial services. With over 25 years of experience, Mike is
certainly qualified to assist you with your personal or business
accounting needs. To schedule an appointment or consultation, please
call 903-7607 or stop by 175 Pagosa St. Unit 4. Thank you for adding
your new business onto your existing great store.

Next week we'll announce the ColorFest
schedule which is just jammed, including an art show in Town Park
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15-16. Don't forget to get your advanced
tickets for the Four Corners Folk Festival, as well. There is just a
plethora of musical talent this year; a year not to miss!

See you around town!

Biz Beat

Lisa Mettscher is the sales associate with
Timberline Builders, owned and managed by Emil Wanakta and Jerry
Pope. Timberline Builders introduces The Cottages and The Enclave,
Pagosa's newest residential community of single-family patio homes
and townhomes, located in Aspen Village.

Timberline is now selling Phase One -
Pagosa's best new home value, with patio homes from $294,900 and
townhomes from $254, 900.

Check out the exciting new development,
offering outstanding design, superb location and exceptional value. A
model home is opening soon.

For more information, contact Mettscher at
the sales office, 731-6611, or stop by the office at 300 Aspen
Village Drive.

The Cowboy Benefit for the families of Chase
Regester, Mikey Maestas and Travis Stahr was a success. Organizers
want to thank local businesses for their donations and those
individuals who came to the auction and dance and made it a success.
We still have memorial T-shirts for sale for those who couldn't make
it. Call Kelley at 769-2636. Special thanks to: Coyote Hill Lodge,
Dominguez family, The Springs, Superior Sound, Elkhorn, Goodman's,
The Club, Steve Wadley, The Rose, Old West Press, KK Paddywhacks,
Junction and Wolf Creek Gifts, Boot Hill, A&M Construction, Weber
Sand and Gravel, KSL Construction, From the Heart (Durango), Egg
family, C.D. Garcia, Conoco, Sunoco, Joe and Pat Lee, Aaron's
Fitness, Home Again, All About You Day Spa, Silver Dollar Liquor,
Pine River Clothing Store, Slices of Nature, Shear Talk (Tonya and
Dennis), Joe Steel/Mainstreet Antiques, Walter and Doris Green,
Jackisch Drugs, Wild Rose, Dorothy's, Dial Oil, Jem Jewelers, Snips,
Rainbow Gifts, Malt Shop, Diamond Dave's, Ponderosa, Wild Life Park,
Paint Connection, Office Supply Store, Gina Willis, Four Seasons Land
Co./Doug and Lynn Cook, Diane Pack, Tom Burch, S&S
Distributors.

High school rodeo

We would like to thank all our friends,
local clubs, organizations, businesses and members of our community
for the overwhelming support we received during fund raising efforts
to assist with the expenses to send local National High School Rodeo
Finals qualifiers Ryan Montroy and Charmaine Talbot to compete in
Springfield, Ill. during July. The youth are the future and we are
proud to live in a community where Western heritage and the sport of
rodeo receive such great support.

Thank you,

The Montroy and Talbot families

Sports Page

Pirates open football season
Saturday

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

After a schedule alteration, Pirate football
begins another drive toward the playoffs Saturday evening with a game
against Bayfield high school.

Another member of the newly-reorganized
Intermountain League, Lake County, failed to field a team this year.
This left the rest of the conference, including the Pirates, with too
few games to be eligible for a wild card birth in the playoffs,
making it necessary to add a game.

While the top two teams in the conference
will automatically make the playoffs, wild cards make it on their
record and statistical tie-breakers, such as strength of schedule and
total points. And if a team does not play enough conference games, it
cannot be considered.

As a result, teams in the conference have
rescheduled their seasons, adding a "zero week" game with a nearby
rival. The logical choice for the Pirates was the Wolverines. The
away game will begin at 7 p.m.

Pagosa may not have to worry about a wild
card, however. Last season, the team finished first in the
conference, losing only one regular season game to 4A Montrose. They
were undefeated in conference play at 4-0.

This year, they look to improve on last
year's playoff results. In 2005, the Pirates lost in the first-round
to Holy Family of the Metro League, 45-27.

Head coach Sean O'Donnell said he is
"excited about our group ... they're spirited and enthusiastic."
O'Donnell said he was impressed with the work ethic his team has
shown so far.

A total of 61 players came out for two-a-day
practices last week, including 16 seniors. Seven varsity starters
will return to both the offensive and defensive squads.

When asked who the players were to watch,
O'Donnell said, "I'd like to give you everybody's name for the work
they're doing right now." O'Donnell emphasized that his team's
success will be based on its strong collective effort.

This year's two-a-days have focused on
conditioning in the morning and playbook and drills in the afternoon.

Aside from the running that is typically
associated with "conditioning," the team also employs a relatively
new training regimen called "dynamic stretching." According to
O'Donnell, the practice began in the higher levels of organized sport
and has slowly trickled down to high school teams.

Rather than the stationary, or static
stretches we can all remember from P.E. class years ago, dynamic
stretching includes slow, controlled movements to increase
flexibility, stamina, and power. Rather than touch your toes, dynamic
stretching would have you do high kicks over a distance of 20
yards.

The team also spends time in the weight room
twice during the week, performing power-oriented lifts such as
cleans, squats and bench presses that work a variety of large muscle
groups.

Despite the team's attention to strength and
endurance, injuries remain a concern.

Last year's starting running back Corbin
Mellette, now a senior, broke his hand in last Thursday's practice.
He has been given the go-ahead to play by his doctor. The coaching
staff will now evaluate whether he can take handoffs and carry the
football with a cast.

Three other capable runners - Matt Gallegos,
Eric Heard and Mike Smith - are available to step in if
necessary.

The Pirates run a spread option offense out
of the shotgun, with one tailback and four wide receivers. O'Donnell
said he will also put in a tight end during some plays, replacing one
of the wideouts. The team will likely run the ball 60 to 70 percent
of the time.

On defense, the Pirates will use a 3-5-3
setup - three defensive linemen, five linebackers and three defensive
backs. This setup is well suited for small and quick defenses. It
allows a defense to quickly adjust to an offense and employ a variety
of man coverages and blitzes.

The 3-5-3 can potentially run into trouble
against power running teams, like Holy Family. Without a larger
defensive line, opposing offensive linemen can often throw unevaded
blocks on one or more of the five linebackers. If the other
linebackers are on a blitz or in coverage, the center of the field
can be open for a long run.

The Pirates schedule includes some tough
teams, including state runner-up Buena Vista, which is now in the
Intermountain League after conference reconfiguration. Other
challenging games will be against 3A Alamosa, who the Pirates beat
for the first time in 20 years last season, and Monte Vista.

The Pirates first home game, against
Kirtland Central, will be Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.

Golf season opens for high
school varsity

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

Five Pagosa Springs high schoolers competed
in two golf tournaments last week, claiming eighth- and sixth-place
team finishes.

The first two-day tournament in Montrose
took place at the Black Canyon Golf Club and Cobble Creek Golf Course
Wednesday and Thursday of last week.

Black Creek is an old municipal course with
prominent treelines hugging the fairways (par 70), while Cobble Creek
is a newer links course with large greens (par 72).

The Pirates finished eighth out of 18 on the
first day of competition and ninth out of 20 on the second. They
finished eighth overall with combined scores of 242 and 248
(measuring the top three players), on the first and second day
respectively.

On Friday the team moved on to another
municipal course in Alamosa, Cattails Golf Club (par 71).

After two days of competition and many miles
of travel, the team "looked really tired," said Coach Mark
Faber.

Despite the lack of energy, the Pirates
pulled off a sixth-place finish out of 18 teams, with a combined
score of 253.

Sophomore Clark Riedberger led the Pirates
in all three days of competition with scores of 75, 80 and 83.

He was joined in the tournaments by juniors
Clay Vickers, scoring 82, 83 and 84; Caleb Burggraaf, 92, 85 and 93;
and Cody Bahn, 85, 86 and 86; and sophomore Jeremy Lister, who only
played at Black Canyon, scoring 87.

The Pirates competed again yesterday at
Cortez, but their scores were unavailable by press time, and they
have a tournament today in Durango.

More importantly, there will be a home
tournament tomorrow at the Pagosa Springs Golf Club, beginning at 9
a.m.

Because the tournament is at home, Faber
said, "We'll play as many kids as we can."

United Way golf tournament
Saturday

By Stacia Kemp

Special to The SUN

The eighth annual United Way Golf Tournament
will be held Saturday at the Pagosa Springs Golf Club.

Beginning at 9 a.m. with a shotgun shot, the
tournament will be a four-person scramble with three different
flights - Open, Couples and "Just Have Fun." Golfers can enter as a
team or as individuals by calling the club at 731-4755.

Cost is $75 (or $40 for golf club members)
and includes green fees, cart, lunch, contests and prizes, and a
silent auction of various golf packages.

The tournament is the kick-off event for the
2006 United Way community campaign in Archuleta County.

All money raised at the event will be used
locally to support programs that serve the people of Archuleta
County, including: American Red Cross, Archuleta County Education
Center, Archuleta County Victim Assistance Program, Community
Connections, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts,
Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County, Housing Solutions of the
Southwest, Pagosa Outreach Connection, Seeds of Learning, Senior
Center, Southwest Colorado Mental Health, Southwest Youth Corps and
Southwest Safehouse.

For more information about United Way in
Archuleta County, call Stacia Kemp at 264-3230.

Sign up for Helping Hand Golf
Tournament

Local golf enthusiasts can put their swing
to work to help the less fortunate at the Pagosa Springs, Operation
Helping Hand Golf Tournament.

The tournament begins 10 a.m. Sept. 9 at the
Pagosa Springs Golf Club and includes a four-person scramble, with an
entry fee of $50 per player. Lunch will be served at the
tournament.

In addition to tournament entry fees,
Operation Helping Hand is seeking cash contributions and donations of
prizes for tournament winners.

For more information on donating prizes to
the tournament or on the tournament itself, contact Rick Taylor at
264-2650.

Operation Helping Hand is a not-for-profit
organization dedicated to helping the less fortunate of Pagosa
Springs and Archuleta County by providing school supplies, clothing,
food and toys during the holiday season.

Pagosa golfers fare well in
team play event

By Lynne Allison

Special to The SUN

The Pagosa Women's Golf Association sent
eight of its low-handicap players to Dalton Ranch Golf Club in
Durango for a team play event Aug. 17.

The Pagosa team of Lynne Allison, Marilyn
Smart, Jane Day, Bonnie Hoover, Cherry O'Donnell, Audrey Johnson,
Josie Hummel and Doe Stringer garnered 43 points - their highest
total to date this season - against San Juan Country Club.

The point standings are very close among the
eight teams in the league, and Pagosa is currently in fifth place,
only 4.5 points out of second place.

Team captain Barbara Sanborn is delighted
with the team's results and commends all the members' tenacity, heart
and resiliency.

A Ryder Cup format was played over two days
between The Pagosa Springs Golf Club and The Rio Grande Club. The
first day of play was at Rio Grande, with the host club taking a 29
to 25 lead.

The second day of play at Pagosa saw the
home team come from behind to win the Cup with a two-day total of 55
to 53 points.

Superb play on the second day by Jim
Hitchcox, David Prokop, Gene Johnson and anchorman Norman Utz sealed
the victory. A buffet of exceptional snacks was prepared by the
club's new cook, Nicole Buckley.

Soccer training includes Wolf
Creek Pass run

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

There is a lot more to Pirates soccer than
shooting on goal.

Last Friday, all of the 27 players who came
out for soccer ran eight miles up Wolf Creek pass, climbing about
half of a mile in elevation. And for the first time since the
tradition began, everyone reached the summit.

Many of the players finished the run
averaging 13-minute miles, including brief stops for stretching and
water.

Coach Lindsey Kurt-Mason said the purpose of
the run was to build both team and individual confidence and
determination.

"When the kids do something like that it
just strengthens their spirit, and it shows the endurance that they
can muster," Kurt-Mason said.

Players described the experience as
"painful" but "awesome when you get to the top." Others said that it
gave them a "great sense of accomplishment."

During the run, Kurt-Mason encouraged
players to run and finish as a team.

This is the 12th consecutive season of boys'
high school soccer. According to Kurt-Mason, the high school program
has encouraged organized soccer at younger ages, and current players
have many years of play under their belts.

The Pirates boast a team full of upper
classmen, with eight seniors and six juniors.

The skill is there; now the team is able to
spend much of its time on tactics, teamwork and playing smart.

During a week of two-a-days and a second
week of afternoon practices, the team has utilized "focus" drills to
prepare their minds for the games to come.

One drill required players to run on goal,
shoot and immediately switch over to defense. Kurt-Mason said that
the point was to take the players' focus away from the outcome of the
shot and put it on the continuing game.

Other drills have focused on quick thinking,
while hours of conditioning will help players get through 90-minute
games and a 15-match season.

In another drill, players were required to
respond quickly to the vocal cues of another player. When "head" was
yelled, the ball was to be caught. When "hand" was yelled, the player
was to head the ball back to his teammate.

Kurt-Mason said that he hoped the team's
determined preseason work will also help players make smart and
healthy choices off the field.

He expressed confidence that the team will
make the playoffs if they can stay healthy and eligible to
play.

Last season, the Pirates made the second
round of the playoffs after beating James Irwin high school. They
were knocked out of competition by Arvada's Faith Christian.

The team finished last season at
6-5-1.

The Pirates will face stiff competition this
year from conference rivals Crested Butte, which won the league last
year, and Telluride.

They play both teams twice during the
season.

The Pirates' first season game is at home
against Manitou Springs, a week from Saturday.

More immediately, players will have an
opportunity to test their game legs Saturday, when they will play in
five scrimmages beginning at 9 a.m. at Golden Peaks Stadium.

Six teams will compete throughout the day,
including Aztec, Bayfield, Cortez, Durango, Telluride and
Pagosa.

Cross country, a 'metaphor for
life'

By Louis Sherman

Staff Writer

The Pirates cross country team has logged
hundreds of miles on town streets and local trails in preparation for
the upcoming season.

Forty-five total runners have come out for
the boys' and girls' teams this year, making them virtually
impossible to miss on the morning drive to work.

While younger runners have worked primarily
on endurance, veterans have sought to build their running strength.
The team combines hill and tempo work with the usual
run-around.

In "tempo" work, runners go at 80-percent
effort, a good canter, for up to 22 minutes.

Runners also pay close attention to
nutrition, getting the bulk of their calories from complex
carbohydrates and avoiding typical teenage fare, such as soda and
junk foods.

They are also encouraged to eat at least
four meals a day, to keep a continual flow of nutrients in the
bloodstream and replenish energy stores.

Head coach Scott Anderson described
"cross-country as a metaphor for life," implying that it could lead
to better all-around health.

Both the girls' and boys' teams qualified
for state last year, the girls finishing sixth and the boys
15th.

The girls were led by senior Emilie Schur,
who was selected for the all-state team four years straight.

Four runners from the state competition will
return to the girls team, while three boys will return.

"We are anticipating the guys to be really
strong this year," Anderson said.

According to Anderson, age makes all the
difference with male runners, since it often equates to greater
strength.

The boy's team will have two seniors and one
junior returning from last year's state competition.

On the other hand, "girls often show up
early ... It's not uncommon to have several freshman show up in the
top ten at state," said Anderson.

There will be openings in both teams for new
runners. Individuals qualify for meets based on previous times. "We
take the six most competitive kids, peaking at the right time," said
Anderson.

The teams will run on a variety of courses
this year. Some will be hill races, demanding strength as well as
endurance. Then there are the rolling courses, in which the physical
demand varies from one stretch to another, and the golf courses,
which are flat and fast.

The Pirates' first meet is next Saturday in
Bayfield, with a start time of 9 a.m.

Adaptive Sorts Association
seeks donations

Adaptive Sports Association encourages the
community to participate in the organization's annual August
membership drive.

With the regional community's support, ASA
offers a variety of recreational activities that change the lives of
people with disabilities. Spread beautiful smiles through your
donation this year.

For more information, call 259-0374 or
e-mail info@asadurango.com.

Mounted Rangers Troo F to hold
annual barbecue

The Colorado Mounted Rangers Troop F is
having its annual barbecue Saturday.

The event will be held at the home of Norm
Whiseman. Take County Road 335 (Blanco Basin) 3 1/2 miles from U.S.
84. Whiseman's house is on the left.

The barbecue will start at 11:30 a.m. Anyone
interested in joining the troop is encouraged to attend.

If you have any questions, contact Capt.
Wayne Strauss at 731-9315 or Lt. Norman Whiseman at 264-5724.

Benefit account established for
Gary Baldwin

A benefit account has been opened for Gary
Baldwin at Citizens Bank of Pagosa Springs.

Baldwin, a lifelong resident of Pagosa
Springs, is currently undergoing treatment cancer (lymphoma). This
account has been opened to help defray costs of travel and medical
expenses. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated.

Porpoise swimmers shine in
end-of-season meets

The Pagosa Lakes Porpoises, Pagosa's 20
member swim club wrapped up its 2006 season in fine fashion at the
seasonal state meet Aug. 4-6 in Craig.

With just eight of the 13 qualified swimmers
participating, the Porpoises finished a very respectable ninth place
overall. Many of the other 24 teams from around the state had 30 or
more swimmers participating.

Three Pagosa swimmers won overall high-point
honors in their respective age groups.

Aaron Miller, who has been swimming with the
Porpoises for 9 years, earned high-point honors in his 15-18 age
group for the second year in a row. He turned in six first-place, one
second-place and two third-place finishes.

This season, Miller clocked times that
qualified him to represent the state of Colo. at the Western Zone
meet held in Fresno, Calif. Aug. 7-13. The Colorado team took fourth
overall. Qualified swimmers from nine western states, 17 teams in
all, competed in this meet. Miller proved a tough competitor,
bringing home fifth place in the 1,500-meter freestyle, taking nearly
a minute off of his previous best time. He also finished sixth in the
800 freestyle and 10th in the 400 freestyle.

Also winning high-point honors for the
second year in a row at the seasonal state meet was 9 -year-old D.J.
Brown. He logged three Junior Olympic qualifying times and brought in
six first-place finishes and two second-place finishes for a total of
129 points out of 144 possible.

On the girls' side, Emily Bryant garnered
high-point honors in the 9-10 age group with an amazing performance
on her birthday weekend. Bryant blew away her competition, setting a
new state record in the 100-meter backstroke and four new pool
records in her other events. She took first place in all her events
in Sunday's competition, bringing home a total of six first-place
finishes and two seconds.

Rounding out those competing at state and
contributing greatly to the team's performance were Gage Lovett,
Briana Bryant, Austin Miller, Dane Murdoch and Kai Koch.

Just missing the cut times were the team's
other members: Samara Hernandez, Kelsey Anderson, Sydney Aragon, Shea
Johnson, Kalie Ray, Dylan Caves and first-year members Clint Walkup
and Zack Irons.

Coached by Jennifer Fenton and Stephen
Williams, all members of the Porpoises had shining performances in
the eight meets they attended around the state. Each swimmer cut
significant time off of their personal bests. The Porpoises have
shown tremendous effort and dedication.

Beginning in the fall, Fenton will be
cultivating a new pod of potential Porpoises, working with the 8 and
under age group. Coach Fenton will train the young swimmers in stroke
technique, competition starts and turns, as well as building
endurance.

If you have a child interested in finding
out more about the swim club, please contact Fenton or Williams
through the Pagosa Lakes Recreation Center.

Health department extends
immunization clinic hours

In an effort to assist parents to comply
with the Colorado Law that requires childhood immunizations to be
completed or be in the process by the first day of the 2006-2007
school year, San Juan Basin Health Department will extend its
immunization clinic hours Monday, Aug. 28, and be open from 10 a.m.
to 5:15 p.m.

All shots are given by appointment only.
Call 264-2409 Ext. 0, to schedule an appointment.

If your child is on Medicaid or the CHP+,
remember to bring your card with you. Entering college freshmen are
encouraged to receive the meningococcal vaccination and review
tetanus/diphtheria need.

San Juan Basin Health is located at 502
South 8th St. , across from Head Start.

Pagosa Springs
Recreation

Youth soccer season approaching

By Tom Carosello

SUN Columnist

Registration for the 2006 youth soccer
league has closed and coaches for the 5-6 and 7-8 divisions are in
the process of contacting their players for practice.

Parents who registered a child in the 5-6
and/or 7-8 divisions who have not been contacted by a coach as of
Monday, Aug. 28, should call the recreation office at 264-4151, Ext.
232, to obtain coaches' contact information.

The draft for all players who registered in
the 9-10 and 11-13 divisions took place last night and coaches will
be contacting their players for practice as soon as possible.

Games in the 5-6 and 7-8 divisions will be
played Mondays, Wednesdays and some Saturdays (against teams from
Dulce, N.M.), while games in the 9-10 and 11-13 divisions will be
played Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays (against teams from
Dulce).

Schedules for all divisions will be
finalized by the end of the month; games in all divisions will begin
after Labor Day.

To familiarize parents and spectators with
game play in the 5-6 and 7-8 divisions, this year's game rules have
been provided below. Game rules for the 9-10 and 11-13 divisions will
be provided in next week's column.

5-6 game rules

Game consists of four quarters of eight
minutes each, a five-minute halftime and a one-minute break between
quarters. Substitutions shall be made every four minutes.

A recreation department employee or one of
the head coaches/assistants will supervise and keep time on the
field. Parents may be asked to volunteer as linespeople.

Ball size is No. 3; seven players permitted
on the field, including the goalkeeper. (Or lowest number of athletes
available to either team. No forfeits.)

No penalty kicks; all fouls result in an
indirect free kick with opponents at least six yards away. Offsides
will not be called.

A second throw-in will be allowed, if
necessary. As opposed to last year's rules, goalies will be allowed
to use their hands while in goal.

7-8 game rules

Game consists of four quarters of 10 minutes
each, a five-minute halftime and a one-minute break between quarters.
Substitutions shall be made every five minutes.

A recreation department employee will
referee and keep time on the field. Parents may be asked to volunteer
as linespeople.

Ball size is No. 4; nine players permitted
on the field, including the goalkeeper. (Or lowest number of athletes
available to either team. No forfeits.)

No penalty kicks; all fouls result in an
indirect free kick with opponents at least six yards away. Offsides
will be called in the 7-8 division.

A second throw-in will be allowed, if
necessary.

Horseshoes

Horseshoe pitching at South Pagosa Park will
continue each Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. through September.

From beginners to experts, everyone is
welcome to play and improve. If there's enough interest, we'll hold a
town tournament in October.

So remember to attend Tuesday-evening
practice and pick-up games at South Pagosa Park's horseshoe courts,
just north of the basketball courts.

Sports hotline

General information concerning the Pagosa
Springs Recreation Department can be obtained by calling the Pagosa
Springs Sports Hotline at 264-6658 or logging on to
townofpagosasprings.com and going to the parks and recreation
link.

All schedules and upcoming events are
updated on a weekly basis. If you have questions or concerns, or need
additional information about any of the Pagosa Springs Recreation
Department adult or youth sports programs, call 264-4151, Ext. 232.

Editorial

A fine role model

With the primary elections a thing of the
past, the slate is now set for upcoming regional general election
races for the Colo-rado Legislature. We have a representative's seat
up for grabs in our district, a Senate seat to be contested. As
candidates prepare campaigns for the final two months - Republican
Ellen Roberts and Democrat Joe Colgan for the rep's slot, and
Democrat incumbent Jim Isgar and Republican Ron Tate for the Senate -
we think there is enough of a lull in activity to say this without
tainting the proceedings: We are going to miss Rep. Mark Larson and
what he stands for. He is a role model for anyone who takes office
next year.

In our opinion, he has been the finest
elected official the district could have hoped for, and he will be
sorely missed - despite the fact he will, we hope, live longer and
happier without the stress of a race and another term in the
Legislature.

Why will we miss him? Easy: His honesty, his
integrity, his dedication to research and to acquiring knowledge
concerning issues. His unswerving loyalty to constituents.

And, perhaps most of all because, though a
Republican - with no intent of being otherwise - Larson has shown a
remarkable ability to do what most contemporary politicians cannot
do, either out of ignorance or fear: namely, think for himself and be
generally non-partisan in his approach to public service.

It is a skill that has, on several
occasions, put him on the hot seat with members of his party. It is a
tendency we admire and that we wish more leaders would
develop.

We live in increasingly partisan times, and
nasty times they are, with party hacks on both sides filling our eyes
and ears with superficial, arbitrary ideas reduced to a third-grade
level in a condescending attempt to curry favor using the lowest
common denominator. More and more, name-calling and the use of
virtually meaningless but emotionally loaded labels is the order of
the day in political discourse.

Unfortunately, it works a lot of the time,
with a great many people.

What a refreshing phenomenon, a politician
like Larson. Look at his recent activity. He actively supports
enhanced mental health care. He supports referenda designed to ease
the burden of constitutional amendments on the state budget, and
leads the battle against that burden from the get-go.

He demands voters hold elected officials and
bureaucrats accountable. He leads the battle to minimize certain
kinds of contributions to legislators while maintaining legitimate
sources of assistance that allow rural legislators to do their jobs.
He advocates pragmatic solutions to seemingly overwhelming problems
like illegal immigration. He detects possible influence peddling and
political hijinks concerning a controversial development project
outside his district and calls for action. He is in the middle of the
creation of legislation restricting smoking in public places and is
there unashamedly, putting health and general welfare above the
individual rights call of partisan thinkers.

And, perhaps more than anything else, he is
unafraid to endorse a candidate for governor, from the other
party.

The man thinks for himself. And he thinks,
always, with the best interests of his constituents in mind. Not the
party line. Not the demands of partisan parrots and reductionists. He
does not frame the world as do more limited souls - those for whom
political affiliation serves some deep but simple need.

We long for some at-least-faint reflections
of Larson's brand of fearless, well-informed, well-meaning and
principled behavior in candidates as the races for House and Senate
seats progress The time for knee-jerk partisan thought is over; it is
dragging us down as a society. It is in concert with leaders like
Larson that we will remain strong, creative and free of the burden of
limited political thought.

Karl Isberg

Legacies

Shari Pierce

90 years ago

Taken from SUN files of August 25, 1916

The official opening of State Highway No. 15, better known as the
Wolf Creek Pass highway, took place according to schedule, Monday,
Aug. 21. As originally planned the ceremonies were to be held at the
summit of the pass, 10,800 feet high, but, owing to various reasons,
the dedication of the new road was held 12 miles below the summit on
the other side, in Box Canyon. Here were gathered about 250 cars and
there were present in the neighborhood of 1,000 people. Elk meat and
coffee were served gratis, after which came several speeches. Among
the speakers was Robt. Higgins, county commissioner of Pueblo. He is
a good roads enthusiast and a member of the Dods party, logging the
Spanish Trail from Pueblo to Gallup.

75 years ago

Taken from SUN files of August 28, 1931

The concert given at the school auditorium last evening by the
Pagosa Orchestra, and sponsored by the Women's Civic Club, was one of
the most pleasing programs ever rendered in Pagosa Springs. The
entire program was greatly enjoyed by all present, and a neat sum
realized for the benefit of the public library.

The Wolf Creek Pass Improvement Association will hold the annual
meeting at Alamosa next Thursday. Several are planning to attend from
Pagosa Springs.

Miss Minnie Mote last Friday completed a successful summer term of
school at the Deer Creek school in Blanco Basin and is now enjoying a
brief vacation at her home in town before renewing her teaching in
the Juanita school for the ensuing term.

50 years ago

Taken from SUN files of August 30, 1956

It was announced this week by San Juan Lumber Co. that they had
purchased the Miller Harris property for the site of their new mill.
This is the old Corrigan place and is located between the Red Ryder
Round-Up grounds and U.S. 160. The transaction involved 137 acres,
according to Vernon Burda, president of the company. The plot of the
ground is large enough for the facilities of the new mill and the REA
crews are running power lines to serve the new mill. The planing mill
for the installation has arrived and construction is expected to
start next week. The San Juan Lumber Co. owns the former Ponderosa
and Duke City mills and these will be used to cut the timber for the
planing mill until such time as the new mill is built.

25 years ago

Taken from SUN files of August 27, 1981

Noting increased traffic pressures along Highway 160 through town,
Police Chief Tracy Bunning has requested the state highway department
to do a traffic count. Bunning would like to see a stop light, speed
limit changes, and the city limit sign moved to its proper western
location.

Friday, August 21 marked the first day of the 1981-82 school year.
Superintendent Terry Alley reported all three schools were off to a
smooth start with approximately 1,040 students attending classes. The
final count for the 1980-81 school year had been 989 students. The
greatest increase is in the elementary school with 40 new students
and the middle school which added 42 students this year.

Features

Big player from a small
school

makes her mark in college sport

By Sarah O. Smith

Staff Writer

It's no secret that student athletes have it tough; hours of
practice piled up on hours of homework is enough to prompt any
student to abandon the library for the field, or vice versa. But in
this battle of brains versus brawn, some students break even.

A bright spot on the basketball and volleyball teams here in town,
2002 Pagosa Springs High School graduate Ashley Gronewoller, 21,
continued her legacy on the court when she joined the Colorado School
of Mines basketball team four years ago. In March, Gronewoller played
her last game for the CSM Orediggers, but not without several titles
under her arm and a true Cinderella story in her wake.

Gronewoller had a full plate at Mines: she spent an estimated five
hours a day in the gym practicing basketball, and she said there was
only one semester when she took less than 19 credit hours - the
equivalent of around six full-time classes. When Gronewoller was a
freshman, her basketball team held a 4-24 record; admittedly, she
said, not something worth celebrating.

"No one expected anything from us," said Gronewoller. "It was okay
for us to suck at sports, because we were smart. But that mentality
started to change."

The Colorado School of Mines is notorious for its rigorous
workload and demanding curriculum, often specializing in the
different branches of engineering.

"Mines has always been the nerd school," said Gronewoller. "But
it's not just about the academics anymore. It was fun to be part of
that transition."

By the time Gronewoller's four-year basketball career was over,
the CSM Orediggers had beat the odds and pulled off the unbelievable;
despite the young team (Gronewoller was the only senior) and "losing
some games we shouldn't have," they inched their way into the Rocky
Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) tournament March 1 at the No. 8
seed and beat top-seeded Regis University 71-57, becoming the first
ever No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the 14 years of RMAC
tournament history.

"The clock just couldn't tick fast enough," said Gronewoller of
the monumental game.

The Orediggers went on the beat the No. 4-seeded University of
Nebraska-Kearney 67-61 in the second tournament game March 4, a team
that had beat the Orediggers in both regular season games.

"That game was probably even more fun," said Gronewoller. "They
really 'hometown' you. But we won."

These two tournament victories were a first in the Mines program's
30 years, allowing the Orediggers to reach the RMAC championship game
- another first in the program's history, giving fans of the team
that no one expected anything from something special to cheer about.

The incredible run came to a halt in the championship game March 5
when the Orediggers lost to Colorado State University-Pueblo 65-54.

But the record-breaking didn't end there.

In her last game at CSM, Gronewoller beat school records,
including most points scored in a season (450). These records were
added to her distinctions of most total points in a career (1,466),
most total rebounds in a year (890), best career field goal
percentage (57.4), best season field goal percentage (58.9), and most
free throws made in a career (288). She also topped the list of
season leaders all four years, and made the RMAC All-League team.

Come fall, the record-breaker with a brain is headed back to
school for her final semester at Mines. She'll end her academic
career with a major in economics and business and a minor in
biomedical engineering.

For now, Gronewoller said her plans are up in the air; she may
work in an engineering firm for a while, or go back to school for her
Ph.D. and become a professor. But one things she's very keen on is
receiving her nursing degree, as she's interested in oncology or
pediatrics.

"We'll see," she said. "(Nurses) don't have to specialize for a
million years like doctors. You can jump from field to field more
easily as your interests change."

But this may not be the end of basketball for Gronewoller. She's
also considering travelling to compete in one of the many
professional leagues overseas. She currently has an agent in Germany
who can help her find a spot on one of the teams in Holland, Norway,
Spain, Greece, Austria, Ireland and many other countries.

"It's kind of fun to think about," she said. "It's something I
think would be fun, because I love basketball."

Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, Gronewoller admits she has a distinct
advantage above other girls vying for a spot on the teams.

"A lot of teams over there need that height," she said.

If Gronewoller were to join a team overseas, things like housing
and food would be paid for by the league.

"It'd be pretty sweet to get paid to play. I have so many people
saying, 'You have to do it, it's a free trip to Europe,'" she said.
"But it's not like I'd be sight-seeing. I'd be looking at a lot of
European gyms."

Gronewoller said the level of difficulty and competition for each
team vary; some teams would thrive in the WNBA, while others are
comparable to a college level. But no matter what the competition
level, the commitment level is a huge step up from college
basketball. She would be looking at 10 to 11 months of basketball,
with practice three to four times a day; something that, Gronewoller
admits, makes her a bit nervous.

"It's sad that I might be done with basketball," she said. "But I
don't know if I want to saturate my life with basketball."

No matter where basketball takes Gronewoller in the future, the
"big player from a small school" has certainly left her mark at
Mines. Not only has she changed the landscape of athletics there, but
she's also subverted the typical role of the student athlete, proving
that the "nerd school" can pack some pretty big muscles, too.

Pagosa's
Past

Harsh conditions for the
Jicarilla Apache

By John M. Motter

We've been reporting on pre-reservation Jicarilla Apache life as
reported by Juan Dedios to Anthropologist Frank Gribben in 1933 and
reported in "The Jicarilla Apache, A History, 1846-1970," by Dr.
Veronica E. Velarde Tiller, a tribal historian.

Dedios identified a large number of places used by the Jicarilla
for hunting camps and religious purposes during the 1860s and 1870s.
The current Jicarilla Reservation was formally established by
presidential decree in 1887.

Many of the family names mentioned by Dedios remain common family
names in Dulce, including his own. An exception is the name Mundo,
which was changed to Velarde a short time before the reservation was
formed. It is well to remember that the events reported and the
people involved are as real a part of Jicarilla family memories today
as are the memories of whites who trace their family trees back to
this or that place or event.

Dedios's information was used as the basis for Jicarilla land
claims, supported by a Stanford University grant and study that
resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement, the first big money
available to the Jicarilla. The Stanford study is described in an
available book titled "Tipi Rings," written by members of a law firm
that helped the tribe win the settlement.

It should also be reported that Dedios was ostracized by leading
members of the community, he was kicked out of the community, and
young people instructed to forget his name as if he had never lived.
Such was the penalty for revealing tribal secrets to outsiders.

A current tribal medicine man told me that elders told him, "If
you tell your enemy how to make your weapons, they'll use those
weapons against you."

Continuing with Dedios's report as recorded in Tiller's book we
read: "Dedios described the trading among the Jicarilla, Utes, and
white travelers who crossed Raton Pass, the mountain branch of the
Santa Fe Trail. The Indians traded beaver skins, hides, and medicinal
plants for meat. Trade camps were also set up, two of which he
attended at Cimarron and Mora. Here all kinds of goods were
exchanged.

"The government rations issued at the Abiquiu and Cimarron
agencies did not escape Dedios's attention. Everyone received
rations; some hung around the agencies just for the rations, which
they sold and ended up without food. Others had their rations stolen
by the soldiers. These Indians retaliated by stealing from settlers.
He recalled one incident when some Apaches raided the ranches near
Tierra Azul and soldiers were called out who shot the Indians.

"Inadequate rations and scarcity of game led to the raiding, but also forced some Jicarilla to cultivate crops. Dedios remembered the corn fields along the Little Cimarron that were planted by the Llaneros (Motter  the Plains Clan, also known as the Red Clan. To this day, the Jicarilla are divided into the Ollero, or Mountain or White clans, and the Llanero or Plains or Red Clan. The focal point of the September Go Jii Ya celebration, the biggest religious fete of the year for the Jicarilla, is a relay race between these two clans).

"Despite all the favorable views about the Jicarilla attempting to
prove their worthiness and efforts toward self reliance, there was
little chance that the people of Cimarron would consent to the
purchase of the Rayado Tract or any area of land for a permanent
reservation. Inextricably tied to the inevitable rejection of the
Jicarilla was the 1866 discovery of gold on Willow Creek, and
prospectors overflowed into the nearby gullies on the western slopes
of Baldy Mountain."

More next week on the pre-reservation life of the Jicarilla
Apache.

Pagosa Sky
Watch

Relax, Pluto is (probably)
still a planet

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

The following sun and moon data is provided
by the United States Naval Observatory.

Sunrise: 6:32 a.m.

Sunset: 7:48 p.m.

Moonrise: 7:15 a.m.

Moonset: 8:24 p.m.

Moon phase: The moon is waxing crescent with
one percent of the visible disk illuminated.

Depending on the outcome of the
International Astronomical Union's (IAU) general assembly in Prague,
our solar system could soon become a very different place.

According to IAU President Ron Ekers, the
assembly is currently debating a draft resolution that, if adopted,
would change the definition of a planet and would add at least three
new planets to our solar system.

Under the resolution, to be decided this
afternoon, "A planet is a celestial body that (a) has sufficient mass
for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes
a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (b) is in orbit
around a star, and is neither a star nor a satellite of a
planet."

In layman's terms and according to the draft
definition, two conditions must therefore be met before an object can
be called a planet. First, the object must orbit a star but not be a
star itself. Second, the object must be massive enough such that its
own gravity pulls the object into a nearly spherical shape.

"Our goal was to find a scientific basis for
a new definition of planet and we chose gravity as the determining
factor. Nature decides whether or not an object is a planet," said
Richard Binzel, IAU planet definition committee member.

With the proposed definition, Pluto retains
its planetary status, while its moon, Charon, would also become a
planet. In addition, Ceres, the largest known asteroid which orbits
the sun between Mars and Jupiter, would become a planet, as would
2003 UB 313, an object larger and more distant than Pluto. Mike Brown
and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology
discovered 2003 UB313 in 2005.

If the definition is approved and the
resolution succeeds, the three planetary newcomers would join the
ranks of the nine traditional planets, already identified as such, in
our solar system - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Furthermore, the IAU has a dozen more
planetary candidates on its ever-evolving planetary "watchlist" and,
if the resolution passes, these and many more objects could be added
in the near future.

Under the proposed IAU definition, Pluto
would serve as the prototype for a new class of planetary objects
called "plutons." Plutons, according to the resolution, are
distinguished from the classical planets in "that they reside in
orbits around the sun that take longer than 200 years to complete."
In addition, they have highly tilted orbits relative to the classical
planets, and have a large orbital eccentricity, or, an orbit that is
far from circular. Along with Pluto, Charon and 2003 UB313 would be
classified as "plutons."

Speaking to NASA, Brown said, "If passed,
the resolution will make anything in the solar system that's large
enough to be round, due to its own gravitational pull, into a planet.
So that would add the nine things that we currently know of as
planets would still be planets. And it would add three more. It would
add Ceres, the largest asteroid, and it would also add 2003 UB313,
the large Kuiper Belt object that was discovered last year in the
region outside of Neptune. It would also add Pluto's moon, Charon, as
a bona fide planet in its own right."

In an Aug. 17 article in space.com, Brown
was less diplomatic. He called the overall proposal "a complete
mess," and added that by his count, the proposed definition means
there are currently 53 known objects eligible for planetary status
with the possibility for countless additions.

He and other critics have questioned the
definition, and have argued that under its parameters, our moon
should be considered a planet. In addition, the definition allows for
another subclass of planets, called dwarf planets, and the
possibility for double, or even triple planets.

In an effort to resolve the planetary
classification problem, the IAU executive committee, led by Ekers,
formed a seven-person, planet definition committee, and the group set
to work on tackling one of modern astronomy's most vexing and
contentious problems - providing a contemporary definition for
"planet" that takes into consideration advanced observational
technologies and new discoveries, including that of 2003 UB
313.

"Modern science provides much more knowledge
than the simple fact that objects orbiting the sun appear to move
with respect to the background of fixed stars. For example, recent
new discoveries have been made of objects in the outer regions of our
solar system that have sizes comparable to and larger than Pluto.
These discoveries have rightfully called into question whether or not
they should be considered as new 'planets,'" Ekers said.

After two years exploring the problem, the
committee met in Paris during June and July 2006 and reached a
unanimous consensus for a proposed definition.

"In July we had vigorous discussions of both
the scientific and the cultural/historical issues, and on the second
morning several members admitted that they had not slept well,
worrying that we would not be able to reach a consensus. But by the
end of a long day, the miracle had happened: we had reached a
unanimous agreement," Gingerich said.

Although the seven-member committee has
reached consensus, recent reports from the IAU convention in Prague
say the astronomical community has not yet reached a consensus of
their own.

Reporting for Sky and Telescope magazine,
Rick Fienberg described the raucous, Aug. 18 scene in Prague during
the IAU assembly.

Fienberg described the scene as a borderline
bar room brawl, when attendees argued whether planets should be
defined by mass or roundness, or by external traits such as their
orbital shape or the proximity to similar objects. According to
Fienberg, the question of whether Pluto should be considered a
planet, a controversy that has raged for years, emerged in the
debate, and speakers went toe-to-toe to hammer their points home.

In the end, Fienberg reports that about the
only thing the astronomers could agree on was that they hated the
word "pluton."

According to the IAU, the agency "has been
the arbiter of planetary and satellite nomenclature since its
inception in 1919. And to that end, all 2,500 attendees at the
organization's general assembly in Prague will vote for or against
the proposed planetary definition today.